Labour candidates renew the call for Dovers Green to be granted ‘Village Green’ status.

Prospective Labour Council Candidates for Beam Park Ward, Matt Stanton and Trevor McKeever, are renewing the call for Dovers Green to be granted ‘Village Green’ status. A new petition has been launched and local MP Jon Cruddas has also written to the Chief Executive of Havering Council urging support for the proposal.

As a local resident Matt has long fought against Havering Council and developers to fend off planning applications, a fight Trevor joined in 2017, and whilst seemingly losing the battle in 2019 the Council Leader then enacted a spectacular U-Turn in a bid to be elected to Parliament.

Matt said: “the Leader of the Council wanted to protect the green when it was in his interest, I hope his U-Turn wasn’t just an election stunt and that the council will now commit to a more formal arrangement to protect the land. I’ve worked tirelessly to protect our green since the very first planning application and I’m urging residents to sign our petition. It’s time Havering Council provided us with some solid assurances.”

At present there is nothing to stop future planning applications being proposed for the green, a prospect that looms heavy over the community of Dovers Farm Estate. Matt and Trevor have raised a petition and are now working alongside Jon Cruddas MP to ensure that the U-Turn is locked in and Havering Council designate the site as a ‘Village Green’, providing protection for future generations.

Trevor added: “Dovers Green is one of the few remainingamenity greens in the area and with all the development going on around it establishing ‘Village Green’ status couldn’t be more important. We have seen off planning applications in the past but with new planning laws coming into play there is a worry that residents won’t get a say in the future. Locking in a formal protection is crucial so I hope the residents will get behind our campaign.” 

Sign the petition here:https://www.dagenhamandrainham.org.uk/news/2021/05/05/protect-our-green-dovers-farm-estate/