Cllr Steven Kelly

»Havering green belt land is being offered for sale to investors in Asia who hope to gain planning permission for development in the future.

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Worried residents now fear building could take place on the site in Lower Bedford’s Road, Collier Row.

Green belt is protected by government policy, and should only be built on with permission by local councils in exceptional circumstances.

Nearly 50 acres of protected land has been offered in sale seminars in China and Malaysia, by developers Jardin Smith International.

One attendee said: “The company goes out to apply for planning permission. We are told this would take five to 10 years at the minimum.

“The reasons why we should invest in UK land, as told by the company, is that the UK has a housing problem and land will become less and less

“The price of land has been increasing steadily. The 2012 Olympics will be held in London and this will have positive effect on the property market.”

However, a spokesman for estate agents Strutt&Parker, who made the original sale to Jardin Smith, said the chance of gaining planning permission remains “highly unlikely” for the foreseeable future.

By-pass policies

The privately-owned land was sold in 2008 and has now been subdivided into chunks for £150 per square metre – a mark-up of around 5,000 per cent on what Jardin Smith originally paid.

But according to the developers, once planning permission is obtained, the value of the land could rise hugely.

Resident Joe Piper said: “It is not possible to determine if this is designed to extract money from Asian investors or a scheme to bypass long standing policies related to protection of Romford’s green belt.”

Cllr Steven Kelly, deputy leader of the council, said: “Neither the governement nor our own planning policy has changed and it is unlikely that this green belt land will ever be given planning permission for such development.”

Jardin Smith did not respond to Recorder queries.