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Search the Public Notice PortalA Harold Hill resident is being forced out of the home she has lived in for three decades so Havering Council can fulfil its redevelopment plans.
Kerry Bennett is one of the last remaining residents on the Chippenham Road estate, her house at number 70 now standing almost alone on what has become a demolition site stuck in limbo.
The section of land between Chippenham Road, Dartfields and Kings Lynn Drive is earmarked for 138 new homes as part of Havering Council's wider regeneration plans for Harold Hill town centre.
But, almost a year after demolition of the site was officially marked as complete, redevelopment has stalled with the council now unable to move forward unless it acquires the remaining properties.
The council started discussions around rehoming Kerry in March 2025 but, when an agreement could not be reached, launched legal proceedings earlier this year.
This culminated in a hearing at Romford County Court on August 18, where the judge granted the council permission to take possession of Kerry's home from September 1 - giving her two weeks to leave.
Kerry said: "He [the judge] said 'I'm making an order, you've got two weeks to get out of the house'.
"I've got to go somewhere where I don't feel safe, where I don't want to be, where I don't know anyone.
"I've been here 30 years, I'm obviously getting on a bit now.
"I don't want to go to somewhere where I don't even know who's next door."
Kerry is trying to fight the decision and has submitted an N244 application to ask the court to suspend the possession order, but said she has had very little communication from both the court and the council since the hearing.
She claims she has also been unable to secure any legal assistance throughout the proceedings.
September 1 has now been and gone and Kerry said she still has not been able to get a hold of the court documents to confirm the order.
Kerry remains in her home and in the dark - she told this paper she "hasn't got a clue what's going on".
When the Recorder asked the court about the hearing it confirmed Kerry attended court on August 18, but were unable to confirm the order made or provide a copy of the file due to it being sent to another office for typing up.
Havering Council told us it has obtained permission from the court to take possession of Kerry's house.
Councillor Keith Prince, leader of Havering Council, said: "The council has approved plans to redevelop the Chippenham Road site for 138 new homes for local people.
"We have sought, and obtained, permission from the county court, to take possession of No. 70 Chippenham Road as part of these plans.
"The court granted the council possession of the property from Tuesday 1 September 2026.
"The council has a recently refurbished two-bedroom house ready for the tenant to move into, and will provide assistance, if needed, with the tenant's move from the property to her new home."
Kerry said the whole process has taken a huge toll on her mental health to the point where she has started therapy to cope with it.
"Twenty-four hours a day I can't think of anything else.
"There is nothing else.
"I'm sitting here now and I've got folders and folders of paperwork.
"I'm just distraught, like completely."
Kerry's house, the now vacant 72 Chippenham Road next door, Rothbury House and The Alderman pub are all covered by the council's compulsory purchase order (CPO), made in April, to force the sale of the land.
A "public local inquiry" into the order was triggered by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government last month, after three objections were made against the CPO.
These came from Kerry, the last remaining resident of Rothbury House, and Stonegate/ Unique Pub Properties Theta Ltd, head leaseholder of The Alderman pub.
In its statement of case, the council said the CPO will "facilitate the comprehensive redevelopment of the order land at Chippenham Road, Harold Hill, in order to deliver much-needed affordable housing, improved public realm, enhanced amenity space and associated environmental improvements".
The public local inquiry is due to start on November 17 and last three days.
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