Policy information sourced from the Havering Local Plan

2 Rainham and Beam Park Strategic Development Area

Residential Development

The Council will support the delivery of over 3,000 new high quality homes in attractive, well managed residential schemes which are well integrated with their surroundings. Development will be delivered on a series of connected sites to the south of New Road extending from the River Beam in the west to Dovers Corner/Bridge Road in the east, together with sites to the north of New Road which are currently occupied by incompatible uses. The Council will also support the redevelopment of undesignated sites in Rainham District Centre and wider Strategic Development Area.

Commercial Development

A new local centre adjoining Beam Park Station will be delivered providing between 3,500 and 4,000 sqm of floor space through the provision of new modern retail and commercial units.

The Council will support development that creates a vibrant mix of active ground floor uses with apartment blocks above within the Beam Park Local Centre.

New commercial development will be required to incorporate generous floor to ceiling heights of 3.5m to 4m at ground floors of buildings in Beam Park Centre, and along New Road to provide for flexibility and adaptability for conversion into commercial spaces in the future.

To achieve a vibrant and thriving area there will need to be a mix of uses throughout the Rainham and Beam Park Strategic Development Area. It is envisaged that this will include retail, commercial, leisure and art uses.

Connectivity

New development in the Rainham and Beam Park Strategic Development Area has the opportunity to establish a new green neighbourhood that links the existing settlements of South Hornchurch and Orchard Village with Rainham Village. It will also enable the transformation of New Road (the A1306) from a traffic dominated corridor into an attractive high quality green street that provides an appropriate setting from a new and expanded residential community.

To support growth in the Rainham and Beam Park Strategic Development Area, the Council will work in partnership with the Mayor of London, developers and transport providers and other agencies to deliver:

  • Beam Park Station on the Essex Thameside Line;
  • A transformational project along the A1306 (Beam Parkway) between Dovers Corner and the Marsh Way junction creating an attractive, high quality green street consisting of links to facilitate active travel along this corridor, “pocket parks” and crossing points, to improve permeability of the A1306;
  • Significant improvements to public transport services including bus connections to / from Beam Park Station and Rainham Employment Area and to / from Romford including Queens Hospital;
  • A continuous east-west active travel connection between Rainham Village, Beam Park Station and the Rainham Employment Area;
  • Bus connections to Beam Park Station and bus links to Romford and Queen’s Hospital;
  • Improved bus connections to and from Rainham Employment Area;
  • A link across Rainham Creek to support east west movements and to enable buses to access the Rainham Employment Area; and
  • A new, integrated network of shared use routes connecting neighbourhoods, local facilities and open spaces.

Supporting Infrastructure

To support growth in the Rainham and Beam Park Strategic Development Area, the Council will work with developers and service providers to ensure the delivery of:

  • Expansion of existing primary schools in line with the Council’s Commissioning Plan;
  • A new three form entry primary school at Beam Park;
  • Additional secondary school places through expansion of existing schools in the later part of the plan period;
  • Expansion of the Rainham Campus of Havering College;
  • Improved sport and leisure facilities; and
  • Provision of a new health centre.

Design and Heritage

To ensure the successful transformation of the area, the Council will support development proposals which:

  • Adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach without prejudice to the achievement of the wider vision for the area as set out in paragraph 2.2.5;
  • Provide a layout that facilitates a coherent urban structure across the area as a whole and demonstrates that the layout achieves a coherent structure both in its own right, and in terms of its facilitation of future phases;
  • Better link the existing settlements of South Hornchurch and Orchard Village with Rainham Village, and transforms New Road (the A1306) from a traffic dominated corridor into an attractive high quality green urban street commensurate with the adjoining new residential neighbourhoods;
  • Overcome the barrier presented by the river and the industrial sites and brings significant enhancement of the wider area as an attractive place;
  • Respond positively to the context within Rainham Village strengthening and enhancing the character of this historic village;
  • Take account of and positively respond to the various listed buildings and their settings;
  • Orientate buildings with their front and main entrance towards streets and open spaces to provide overlooking and natural surveillance and to help to create a place with a strong sense of place that is safe and welcoming;
  • Have buildings designed at street corners that ‘turn the corner’ and address both street spaces;
  • Provide a good sense of enclosure to streets and public spaces with buildings positioned along consistent building lines;
  • Avoid adverse effects on the nearby Ingrebourne Marshes SSSI and Inner Thames Marshes SSSI and seeks to achieve enhancements to these sites, where possible; and
  • Optimise the design and location of development including the incorporation of resilience measures to address potential flood risk and explores opening up culverts, where appropriate.

Policies for specific opportunity sites in the Rainham and Beam Park Strategic Development Area will be addressed in the Site Specific Allocations Local Plan.

For more information please see the Havering Local Plan