Bellway buys land to deliver new homes on former hospital site in Romford

Bellway Thames Gateway has acquired a parcel of land on the former site of Harold Wood Hospital in Romford, where it hopes to build 96 new homes.

The housebuilder has bought the 2.83-acre site off Copse Avenue – formerly home to the hospital’s Long Term Condition Centre and now vacant – from NHS Property Services, .

Bellway Thames Gateway aims to deliver a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom houses for private sale, alongside affordable apartments available for local people through low-cost rent or shared ownership.

The apartments would be delivered in two five-storey blocks, while there would be a total of 98 car parking spaces at the site. As part of the purchase, Bellway has agreed to provide 23 car parking spaces for the neighbouring NHS Harold Wood Polyclinic.

Matt Waterworth is Senior Transaction Manager for NHS Property Services, which enables excellent patient care by acting as a trusted advisor to the NHS and by providing the best estate solutions. He said: “We are pleased to be completing on the sale of this site, which will enable us to reinvest funds back into the NHS helping to tackle the biggest estates challenges, unlocking greater value and ensuring patients can get the care they need in the right place and space for them.”

The former hospital in Gubbins Lane began life as a convalescent home for children when it was opened by West Ham County Borough Council in 1909. It became an emergency hospital during the Second World War and was retained as a hospital thereafter. The hospital closed in 2006 after services were relocated to Queen’s Hospital in Romford and the King George Hospital in Ilford.

The former hospital site is now home to the Kings Park residential neighbourhood, where plans for 810 homes were given outline planning permission in 2010.

The land acquired by Bellway will be one of the final parcels of the hospital land to be redeveloped.

Will Weston-Smith, Head of Land for Bellway Thames Gateway, said: “The acquisition of this parcel of land will enable us to deliver a collection of high-quality new homes in a highly sustainable location just half a mile from local amenities including shops, restaurants and convenience stores.

“Our proposals will deliver much-needed new homes for the private market as well as a significant proportion of affordable housing, which will be available to local people who cannot afford to buy their own home.

“The site is incredibly well located for commuters needing to get into central London. Harold Wood train station is just a 10-minute walk away and has regular services into Liverpool Street and Stratford via the new Elizabeth line. It’s also close to the A12, A127 and the M25, providing easy access to the wider road network.

“We are now finalising our detailed plans for this project and are working with the local authority prior to submitting an application for the new homes later this year.”

Bellway Thames Gateway is currently building new homes across London, Essex, Kent, and Surrey.

For more information, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/thames-gateway.