Why overdevelopment is the enemy of local communities.

Overdevelopment is the enemy of local communities across the East of Greater London. We must fight for our towns more than ever before.

Deputy Chairman of the Dagenham and Rainham Conservative Association, Ben Suter, today writes on overdevelopment in the area.

Increasingly we have seen developments going up across Barking, Dagenham and Havering which are completely out of character with the area of which they are built. 

A perfect example of this is the new developments South of the A1306 where it looks as if they are building New York on Thames. 

Why have developers and local authorities allowed this to happen? They are attempting to trash what our communities are, which are family communities with family houses. Whilst I accept that flats are needed, why have they become default for a majority of developments in our area. We aren’t commuter towns,we are family towns. 

Why has the Labour-run authority in Barking and Dagenham decided to borrow hundreds of millions investing in risky building projects which have little, to no, benefit in our area?

Why has planning become about the money and not the community? 

If we want to save what it means to be from our area, we must fight to stop these huge eyesores going up left, right and centre. 

I recently went to a BeFirst (Barking and Dagenham Council owned) consultation on the future of Dagenham Village. I quizzed the representative present about what this was all about. ‘We want to hear your views’ they said. 

After about 15 minutes, it was very clear to me what they were planning to do and the conversations they were having in the top offices in Barking. It was to re-develop the village by knocking down Ibscott Close and replacing it with taller and denser buildings to house more people. 

This isn’t about pushing people off the housing waiting list, this is about making money. 

A Labour Councillor was present, one which is honourable, he stood up for the Village and highlighted the damaging impact this would have on the Village identity. If he can see it, why can’t his Labour-run Council?

Developments should not only serve the interests of the people moving in but also those of the local community, which now seems are being totally ignored. 

Overdevelopment is the enemy of local communities across the East of Greater London. We must fight for our towns more than ever before.

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