Havering Council refuses 10-person HMO in Romford
Retrospective application for 290 North Street, a former pub, was denied due to inadequate living conditions for residents.
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Havering Council planning officers have refused a retrospective application to allow a 10-person House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) to continue operating at 290 North Street, Romford. The decision, issued on 5 October 2026, stated that the property fails to provide an adequate living environment for its occupants.
Application details and previous concerns
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The application, submitted by Tugby & Tugby Surveyors Ltd on behalf of Mahbub Alum, sought permission to continue using the first floor of the building as an HMO. The property, a former pub, contains nine bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, designed to accommodate up to ten people. The existing licence for the HMO was valid until September 2026. The planning statement indicated the proposal aimed to regularise an existing use rather than establish a new one.
Concerns regarding the premises were previously raised at a Havering Council meeting on 5 June 2026. Objections were made in relation to a licence application for the venue, citing issues of late-night noise and anti-social behaviour. The building has a history of previous uses, including The Triangle, which had a premises license application refused in July, and Neyzen Restaurant, which lost its licence in March following findings of illegal working.
Reasons for refusal
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Planning officers refused the retrospective application due to a lack of suitable internal and external communal areas for all occupiers. This deficiency was found to fail the standard requirements of the East London HMO guidance and the Local Plan HMO Policy. Officers stated that this failure would be harmful to the amenity of the HMO occupiers and would result in an inadequate living environment.
The application did refer to the council’s HMO concentration threshold, noting that the nearest known HMO was in Hainault Road and that there was no evidence of overconcentration exceeding the 10 per cent limit. It was also noted that the former pub was not listed as an asset of community value.
Questions this report answers
+Why was the 10-person HMO in Romford refused?
Havering Council planning officers refused the retrospective application on 5 October 2026 because the property lacked sufficient internal and external communal areas for all occupants. This was deemed to fail local HMO guidance and policies, creating an inadequate living environment.
+What is the address of the refused HMO?
The refused House in Multiple Occupation is located at 290 North Street, Romford. The property is a former pub and has nine en-suite bedrooms designed to house up to ten occupants.
+Were there any previous concerns raised about the property?
Yes, objections concerning late-night noise and anti-social behaviour were raised at a Havering Council meeting on 5 June 2026, in relation to a licence application for the premises. The building has also had previous issues with other businesses operating there.
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