Policy information sourced from the Havering Local Plan

19 Business growth

The Council is committed to building a strong and prosperous economy in Havering and will encourage and promote business growth by:

  • Protecting designated Strategic Industrial Locations for industrial uses as set out in the London Plan;
  • Protecting designated Locally Significant Industrial Sites for B1 (b) (c), B2 and B8 uses;
  • Directing office development to Romford Metropolitan Centre and the borough’s district centres as part of mixed-use developments;
  • Requiring large scale residential proposals within Romford Town Centre to incorporate high quality flexible business space, subject to viability, and progress towards meeting the identified office employment floor space requirement as detailed in Table 18 Local Plan Monitoring Framework, and in consideration of individual site characteristics not comprised in viability assessments such as configuration, servicing requirements and neighbouring uses;
  • Supporting the development of high quality affordable and flexible business spaces of varied unit sizes to meet the needs of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-up businesses (see Policy 21);
  • Supporting development proposals that improve the physical appearance, attractiveness and competitiveness of employment areas;
  • Supporting the sustainable growth and expansion of business and enterprise in rural areas;
  • Supporting the development of a hotel within, or in close proximity, to the Rainham Employment Area to support business growth and opportunities in this area;
  • Supporting the London Riverside and the emerging Romford Town Centre Business Improvement Districts.
  • Working with the Port of London Authority (PLA) to explore opportunities to improve and develop wharf infrastructure and to explore increasing use of the River Thames for freight transport; and
  • Supporting the strategic significant growth potential of the Borough in logistics activities of greater than sub-regional importance, as set out in the London Plan.

The borough’s Strategic Industrial Locations (SILs) and Locally Significant Industrial Sites (LSISs) are shown on the Policies Map.

Waste uses will be assessed in accordance with the Joint Waste Development Plan Document.

For more information please see the Havering Local Plan