Dorrington Gardens car park, Hornchurch plans for 34 homes

Plans have been made to turn Dorrington Gardens car park into a 34-home development, featuring a mix of one- and two-bed apartments, and three-bedroom family homes.

The planning application - submitted by SW Planning Ltd on behalf of Havering Council-owned company Mercury Land Holdings - details that the 10 one-bed flats and 12 two-bed flats would be split into two central blocks, each standing at three storeys high.

A total of 12 semi-detached family homes would stand either side of these blocks, with four homes facing out onto Dorrington Gardens and the remaining eight facing into the development.

These homes would be two-storey, although the planning documents reveal that four of the houses would have a small third floor.

The car park currently has 188 spaces (Image: Google Maps)

READ MORE: Keswick Avenue, Hornchurch car park housing plan submitted

Part of the site would be kept as a car park with 24 spaces for residents, alongside an enclosed cycle store.

The planning statement also sets out proposals for a communal garden behind each apartment, featuring balance blocks, a swinging horse and play boulders.

The document states: "The site's natural contours have been retained to incorporate interesting play features and terraced seating, whilst also providing some more accessible seating areas within the more level areas.

"These gardens can be accessed both from the central road and through private side gates."

The Dorrington Gardens car park plans have been in the making for more than a year. 

The plans include communal gardens behind each apartment block (Image: SW Planning Ltd)

The pre-application stage started in July 2023, followed by a public consultation in November 2023, and a presentation of the revised proposals - with four homes removed from the plans - this August.

The application is part of a Havering Council scheme to turn four "underused" public car parks into housing developments.

Plans for six homes at Keswick Avenue car park in Hornchurch were approved in August this year, while Angel Way car park in Romford is earmarked for development, but with no formal application submitted yet. 

Proposals for a "significant" development at the Como Street site have been met with huge backlash from residents.

An initial screening opinion filed on behalf of Mercury Land Holdings suggests around 170 homes would be built at this car park, although again no formal plans have been submitted.

Havering Council is expected to make a decision on the Dorrington Gardens car park application by January 31, 2025.