Plans say the new building will reflect “the local traditional character” of the surrounding area, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

The plans for new flats and (right) Floron Residential Home
(credit Stephen Davy, Peter Smith Architects) — The plans for new flats (left) and (right) Floron Residential Home (credit Stephen Davy, Peter Smith Architects)

A vacant care home for older people in West Ham can be demolished and replaced with a block of flats, Newham Council has agreed.

Property developer VFund has won planning permission to knock down the former Floron Residential Home in Upton Lane and build a three-storey block of flats in its place.

Plans say the new building will reflect “the local traditional character” of the surrounding area.

The care home closed in 2022, according to marketing documents provided with the application.

Newham planning rules say developers have to show that there is no need or demand for community facilities such as a care home before they can replace them.

VFund showed it had marketed the building for community use, without success.

A planning statement submitted with its application in June 2024 said: “Despite an extensive marketing campaign since January 2023, there has been little interest from prospective occupiers.”

The statement said “the poor quality of the building, location concerns, and limitations on expansion” explained the “limited interest” in the site.

Council planning officers accepted the marketing evidence and said the redevelopment “would be acceptable to enable the site’s redevelopment for the delivery of much-needed housing stock in the borough”.

A planning officers’ report said the new building would cause some harm “in terms of outlook and sense of overbearing” to neighbouring homes – “particularly Nos 234 and 240 Upton Lane, due to the proximity of the proposed development”.

However planning officers said they didn’t consider the impact “significantly harmful”, adding that it would be “acceptable on balance”.

Plans say the building will house eight flats. Of these, one will be a studio flat, one will have one bedroom, four will be two-bed flats and two will be three-beds.

None are designated as ‘affordable’ as developers are only required to provide this for schemes of ten or more homes.

Council planning officers granted planning permission last Thursday (7th).

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