Telford Homes has been granted planning permission for the 4.82-acre Sainsbury’s site in Ilford.

Following the original resolution to grant in December 2022, the scheme has been adjusted to respond to emerging revised fire safety guidance; this required five of the proposed seven buildings on site to be redesigned with a secondary means of escape.

The planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the proposals, which will see the developer enhance the thriving community in this significant regional hub. The scheme will deliver in excess of 1,000 new homes, which will be a combination of Build to Rent, affordable housing and Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. It will be set within a new landscaped public realm, with a new public park at the heart of the development. The scheme will also be supported by new flexible commercial spaces and a new Sainsbury’s store purpose-built to meet the needs of the new and existing communities.

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The scale of the site offers the opportunity for high quality sustainable placemaking, with the space and flexibility to deliver substantial amenities to meet the demands of future residents and the wider community. The scheme will be purposely designed for Build to Rent, a market that is fast emerging in Ilford, underpinned by strong demographic trends, and will provide new, high-quality rental homes in a previously under-utilised brownfield site.

The creation of an ecological and biodiverse space in the heart of the scheme will purposefully blend old and new communities to create an exciting, inclusive destination that will accelerate Ilford's current regeneration.

The scheme will celebrate its heritage through the curation of characterful public spaces and the implementation of a comprehensive public arts strategy. The development will provide 6,895 sqm of public realm, which will include the new park space and 3,668 sqm of play space for children. The Chapel Place project was a successful ‘pilot’ as part of the London Borough of Redbridge’s UNICEF Child Friendly Scheme. UNICEF and the London Borough of Redbridge have made a series of pledges that focus on the rights and welfare of children to launch Redbridge’s journey to becoming internationally recognised as child-friendly.

Regeneration plans are underway across the wider Ilford area, helped by the opening of Crossrail in 2022. The site is located within a 3-minute walk of Ilford Station, providing direct links to key interchanges at Stratford and Liverpool Street and, with the addition of Crossrail, the development will offer quick and frequent services into Central London. This improved connectivity will attract new residents to the relative affordability of Ilford compared to other parts of London.