Benets Road Hornchurch 475 homes plan - residents 'shocked'

Richborough submitted an application for outline consent earlier this month, proposing a major development of up to 475 homes on land to the north of Benets Road and the east of Wingletye Lane.

Despite the site falling entirely within the green belt, the developer suggested in the planning statement following the "grey belt route" - a new designation for land that makes little or no contribution to green belt purposes - to allow building to take place.

In response, Hornchurch residents have formed a group called "Save Our Fields", gathering at the site on June 11 and June 14 to raise awareness and encourage others to have their say.

One of the group's coordinators Patricia Dessoy said residents "were all shocked to see this application".

She told the Recorder: "There are nationwide, it seems, on green belts not just around London, landowners thinking that they can make a quick killing having it re-designated as grey.

"And in the application, worryingly, that's what they're referring to this land as.

"If you look it up the list, it actually meets quite a few of the [green belt] criteria. and changing it would severely change the complete nature of the whole area.

"My concerns are that it is green belt [but] it's also used as a recreational area for so many people to go walking, exercising, taking their dogs.

"We've been asked to sacrifice all our beautiful green land."

Former Emerson Park councillor Laurance Garrard has also been involved with the campaign, and was approached by developers about the proposals as far back as 2022.

He said councillors "made it clear" at the time their "determination" to protect the land and that "we would never agree to the development of the green belt".

"The developers went quiet until the recent government planning rule changes with regard to grey belt areas," Mr Garrard told this paper.

"However we have made it clear to them this time as well that [...] as far as we are concerned this area is still green belt and qualifies for protection on the following grounds: it is a valuable area or rural farm land which is still farmed on a regular basis; it provides an exceptional area of natural views where residents can see both the Upminster windmill and St Andrews Church in Hornchurch; it provides a separation between Hornchurch and Upminster.

"As a result the residents of Hornchurch and Cranham have joined together to campaign to protect the green belt in our area and say no to the overdevelopment of our part of Havering."

The group is encouraging residents to have their say on the application by visiting the Havering Council planning portal and searching reference P0417.26.

The council is expected to make a decision on the outline consent application by August 12.

Richborough has been contacted for comment.