Why the HRA have made the best case for Havering to no longer be a London Borough

You might ask yourself why some of the envisaged HRA developments for Romford and wider Havering are so politically sensitive and leading to residents raging over the lack of consultation and the effective surrender of our borough’s assets and green belt. The recent Strategic Planning Committee meetings have laid bare how the decisions of Havering Council are indirectly and directly influenced by Mayor Sadiq Khan. 

The HRA councillors who have a ruling majority in the council chamber and the Strategic Planning Committee have a near final say over whether some of the largest developments get the green light. The HRA councillors have been giving the green light to one bad and unwanted development after another during their time in office. But what has been most shocking to witness has been their clear criticism of unsuitable schemes, that seem destined to fail or ruin the lives of residents, still be approved time and time again. 

One of the most used reasons by the HRA is that the Mayor of London dictates through policy that we need to approve “this” or “that” application. What’s the point of having these councillors if all their skillset entails is waving white flags? Whether it’s a large data centre, an overwhelming block of flats or changes that render an area unrecognisable - time and time again they blame the Mayor of London for their decision to approve applications. 

As residents we are now suffering and many are at breaking point due to the surrender of our boroughs assets to the HRA and Mayor Khan agenda of excessive development to cope with rapid population growth and former Conservative/Labour government policies over demographic change and housing provision. The HRA-led council surrendering to a Labour led-London and government is going to be the end of this borough, as it’s driving people to move and leave the life they’ve known. 

The [former] beauty of Havering is that this area isn’t your typical urban London area. Our rates of stabbings, drug abuse and serious crime used to be very low. The history and legacy of this borough is that it’s supposed to be a safe, clean and wonderful area to raise families. This borough was built by people already here or escaping/establishing a new life outside of inner east London, but retaining reasonable access to the capital for work. 

London’s problems and shortcomings are now being dumped on our doorsteps. We don’t want or need money laundering fronts like vape shops, which have also been proven to be hot spots for grooming young girls. We don’t want or need inaction over unapproved traveller sites, HMOs or the Launders Lane fires. We don’t want the largest data centres in Europe on our greenbelt land polluting the water we drink and the air we have to breathe. We don’t want or need peaceful communities destroyed by megalithic tower blocks or developments, built to often house people who would seek to destroy the tranquillity of our residential area and way of life. We don’t want or need policies that curtail car and vehicle usage in a borough that has many rural communities and a layout that makes having a vehicle essential for most. We don’t want or need to be hurt by the bad decisions of politicians. How many more thefts, murders, rapes, assaults will it take for the governing class to wake up? 

Regarding the situation in Romford, our residents’ lives have been turned upside down by hard drug users on our doorstep, cannabis farms being run in some of the nearby flats, car and personal theft, anti-social behaviour, girls and women being harassed - I could go on. It’s making what was once a lovely, community area a no-go zone for many. 

Havering is not a dumping ground for the worst that Mayor Khan’s London has to offer. It’s time to seriously consider whether we accept this agenda of cultural destruction, like the HRA evidently has, or go in a different direction and save what we have left. It’s time to have a serious conversation.