A public consultation is being launched on Havering Council's plans to replace some of its “underused” town centre car parks with hundreds of homes.
The proposals, at the pre-application stage, seek to redevelop four car parks in Romford and Hornchurch to deliver almost 300 homes.
The council says these will include 'affordable' housing and commercial space for businesses.
The sites earmarked are the car parks at Dorrington Gardens and Keswick Gardens in Hornchurch, and Como Street and Angel Way in Romford.
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A council spokesperson said the intention is to submit planning applications for the car parks in spring 2024 with decisions expected around the autumn.
The council will sell the sites subject to planning approvals, they added.
The plans come amidst a challenging financial picture for the authority, which faces a forecasted £31m deficit.
It has announced other savings measures to reduce this, including the closure of Romford's Sunday market.
He added: “Less Government funding year on year means a budget gap of £31.2million and £77million over four years that we have to try and close.
“I encourage residents to share their thoughts (on the car park redevelopment plans) with us.”
Mercury Land Holdings, the council-owned housing company, was granted approval in August that exempts it from needing an environment impact assessment for a plan to build 170 homes at the Como Street site.
Jai Sepple, manager at Brookside Theatre in Romford, had told this paper that the sale of the car park would have a “devastating” impact on their business.
A council spokesperson has now said that the decision on using the Slaney Way car park for housing would be made after further discussions with the theatre on retaining part of the site.
A previous consultation was conducted by the council on the proposal to dispose of the five sites, potentially removing 800 parking spaces.
A petition was launched by Conservative councillor David Taylor, of St Edwards ward, in July urging the council to re-run a consultation as he claimed it went “below the radar” of the public.
But the council said it had published the proposal under the legal notices section of our paper on March 10 and that copies of the notice were displayed in each of the earmarked car parks throughout the consultation period.
Read More: Calls for more consultation on Havering car park sale plan
The latest consultation closes on December 4.
Residents can fill the online survey on this link: Underused Car Park Redevelopment - Appropriation - London Borough of Havering Council - Citizen Space .
Comments can also be emailed to propertyservices@havering.gov.uk or sent via post addressing the assistant director of housing to Havering Town Hall.
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