New plans to be submitted for Goodmayes ‘Lorimer Village’ development

Plans for the Lorimer Village development which received planning permission in 2022, are being revisited by developer Weston Homes. Once the new plans have been finalised the scheme will be re-submitted to Redbridge Council’s planning committee for review.

Weston Homes, in partnership with Tesco, are proposing to deliver new homes and green space in Goodmayes on the existing Tesco site, opposite Goodmayes Train Station.

The developer’s initial plans included a new school on the site. However, as the number of children and young people living in Redbridge and London has fallen sharply, leading to local schools reporting an abundance of over 500 unfilled school places, this proposal has been declined by Redbridge Council to protect the future of existing local schools.

The leadership teams of local primary schools, Farnham Green and Barley Lane have shared support for the Council’s decision.

Amanda Jennings, Executive Headteacher at Farnham Green Primary School, said: “We welcome the Council’s decision to secure the future of existing schools. There is no need for a new school, which could jeopardise the future of existing local Good and Outstanding rated schools like Farnham Green, when we have enough spaces for local children.”

Mr David Backhouse, Chair of Governors at Barley Lane Primary School, said: “Government funding for schools is largely based on pupil numbers, so building a new school unnecessarily would simply increase the pressure on existing local schools which already have unfilled spaces. Barley Lane Primary is less than a mile away from the proposed development site, and between us and the other local schools nearby, there are sufficient spare places available for local children.”