The £500m development by Wates Residential in joint venture with Havering Council is set to fall foul of requirements for tall buildings to have more than one staircase, to facilitate evacuation in an emergency and access by emergency services.
In a joint statement, the council and the buiding firm said: “As a result of continued regulatory uncertainty, a decision has been taken by the Havering Council and Wates Residential Joint Venture to pause development of the Waterloo and Queen Street site in Romford.
“Regulations are likely to change to require two staircases in buildings over 30 metres. As we are at an early point in the construction process, we have taken an opportunity to pause whilst we get a better understanding of what new regulations will mean and to update the design to include a second staircase.
“Both parties remain firmly committed to delivering these new homes as part of their partnership. The aim of the JV is to double the amount of high quality, affordable housing available for local people – we are working together to establish the best route forward.”
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