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Council and G15 member forced to delay major regeneration due to TfL uncertainty
A London council and G15 member have been forced to delay a major regeneration project over uncertainty around whether a new station will be delivered by the Greater London Authority (GLA).
Havering Council and Notting Hill Genesis formed a joint venture in 2017 and had plans to build hundreds of new homes out of thousands planned for Rainham and Beam Park, but doubts about a proposed new C2C railway station have led to the council withdrawing its compulsory purchase order (CPO) for the area.
In 2015, then-mayor of London Boris Johnson published his ‘London Riverside Opportunity Area Planning Framework’, which identified Barking and Rainham as having potential for 26,500 new homes and that a new C2C rail station could be built at Beam Park.
Havering Council initially agreed to deliver the station, but the GLA took over the project in 2018 after the local authority said it did not have the capacity to carry it out.
City Hall has committed £43m to fund the new station, however recently the Department for Transport (DfT) said it has never promised any support.
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It is understood the government wants to be held immune from any financial risk from the project and that it believes the financial offer proposed by GLA does not cover that risk.
Amid the lack of clarity over the future of the station, and after getting legal advice and consulting with the planning inspectorate, the council has made the decision to withdraw the CPO, which was approved in 2018 to facilitate redevelopment in the area.
The news comes a day after current London mayor Sadiq Khan warned that failure by the government to provide a further bailout to TfL will result in homes not being built.
Concerns have also been raised around the TfL funding for the Beam Parkway scheme, designed to transform a busy road into a linear park with enhanced biodiversity, amenity space, walking and cycling facilities, improving connections between communities.
TfL were planning to part fund this scheme with a £5m grant, but have not been able to provide this money due to its financial position.
Damian White, leader of Havering Council, said: “It seems Havering is once again losing out after working so hard to try and build better homes and communities for its residents.
“Due to the problems over Beam Park Station, and the additional issues with the Beam Parkway scheme, regrettably we will have to cease in our plans for the CPO for the time being. This follows legal advice and consultation with the Planning Inspectorate.
“We are doing everything we can to get back on track with these schemes because of the opportunity this part of the borough offers to provide homes and jobs for our residents.
“As a borough we need investment in our infrastructure and housing. However, every time we think things are moving the right way, like a boxer we get another knock down and have to pick ourselves up. It is time they focused on outer London boroughs like us, rather than the more wealthy inner London boroughs.”
Jake Brodetsky, joint venture partnerships director at Notting Hill Genesis, said: “We understand the council’s decision to withdraw the CPO and will continue to work with them and other stakeholders to ensure the best outcome for the present and future residents of Rainham and Beam Park.”
TfL has been contacted for comment.
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