Five tower blocks included in housing plans for Sainsbury's in Ilford

Five tower blocks between 16 and 36 storeys high are featured in a proposed development named Chapel Place.

The towers would contain 837 “predominantly build-to-rent” homes and 447 student rooms.

Joint developers Telford Homes and Sainsbury’s submitted the plans for the latter's Roden Street site on July 12, proposing nearly 6,800sqm of “garden area” with ground floor commercial units for retail, workspace or leisure.

How the public realm area at the centre of the plans could look like (Image: HTA and Telford Homes)

The new plans come only four years after a controversial application, to build more than 600 homes on the site, was approved after intervention from then secretary of state for communities and local government Sajid Javid. That application expired before construction started.

Architect HTA describes the latest proposal as a “high quality mixed-use scheme” that will create a “new green space” as a focal point for the area.

It adds: “The proposed development seeks to make best use of this underutilised town centre location to deliver a high-quality residential-led mixed-use development, together with significant public realm and landscaping enhancements.

“The varying heights respond to the surrounding context, whilst the design has sought to utilise distinguishing detailing and expression in order to create a sense of identity and character for each building.

“The scheme includes a significant central green space, which residents of the development and members of the local community alike can access and enjoy.”

At the northern edge of the site, bordering Chapel Road, the tallest block will be higher than Pioneer Point’s 33 storeys, while a row of new terraced houses will border the southern edge of the site.

According to the architect, this will create a link between the “fine grain” of the terraced residential neighbourhoods and the “taller buildings to the north”.

The public have been consulted through a website, two adverts in the Recorder, leaflets to 6,000 people, virtual consultation meetings in July last year and “workshops” for residents of Riverdene and Audrey Road.

According to the figures provided, in total 62 people either attended those meetings or provided feedback.

On the consultation website, the developers admit that the previous scheme had a number of shortcomings, including only 4pc affordable housing.

The website says: “Several years on, Sainsbury’s has identified a number of areas where the plans could be improved, including better connectivity, new opportunities for placemaking, increased affordable housing, and enhancing the quality of the residential accommodation.”

According to a spokesperson for Sainsbury’s and Telford Homes, the proposed development will contain 262 'affordable' homes.

These will be split between London Affordable Rent, discount market rent and shared ownership.

The student accommodation will be a mix of standard and studio rooms, 156 of which will be 'affordable'.

London Affordable Rent is set by the Greater London Authority and costs between £672 and £868 a month, depending on the size of the home.

Discount market rent is defined as at least 20pc of the average cost of rent locally.

There will not be any social housing in the development, which is typically 50-60pc cheaper than average local rents.

A breakdown of the build-to-rent homes shows 34pc will be one bed, 47pc two or three bed, 13pc three bed, and 6pc studios. The affordable homes will be 31pc three or four bed, with one to two beds homes evenly split.

In the design and access statement, HTA wrote: "The creation of a green heart in the centre of Ilford will seamlessly knit together old and new communities to create an exciting destination and place for all to dwell and enjoy spending time in."

People can view the application on the council's website by searching reference 2327/22 at my.redbridge.gov.uk/planning and can comment until August 16.

Further details can also be found at chapelplaceilford.co.uk.