We have been informed of the following Government instructions to local authorities:

Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP laid an urgent Written Ministerial Statement before Parliament on Friday (13th) regarding the enforcement of planning conditions related to food deliveries, particularly at night, in response to the coronavirus.

The Statement makes clear that, as a matter of urgency, local planning authorities should take a positive approach to their engagement with food retailers and distributors, as well as the freight industry, to ensure planning controls are not a barrier to food delivery over the period of disruption caused by the coronavirus. Given the current situation, local planning authorities should also not seek to undertake planning enforcement action which would result in unnecessarily restricting deliveries of food and other essential deliveries during this period, having regard to their legal obligations. This therefore means there will be deliveries made over night, even though planning conditions may suggest they cannot take deliveries during certain hours.

Havering Council have advised that they will therefore not be taking enforcement action in the circumstances detailed above whilst the emergency situation continues.

A full copy of the Statement can be found here.