Dagenham and Rainham MP reflects on the second anniversary of the devastating fires that destroyed over 30 homes.

Margaret Mullane Labour MP has reflected on and taken action on the second anniversary of the devastating wildfires that destroyed over 30 homes in Dagenham and Rainham.

On the 19 July 2022 two wildfires ripped through 17 houses in Wennington Village and homes in Farm Close off Ballards Road in Dagenham. The homes and precious personal belongings were lost in the conflagrations and families lives were turned upside down. To date none of the families have been able to return.

Margaret told the Havering Daily: “The wildfires caused by the heatwave two years ago devastated the lives of families in Wennington Village and Farm Close. In the immediate aftermath of the fires the community, friends and family pulled round to give support and comfort. 

But getting lives back together for the residents who lost their homes in Wennington Village has been made more difficult by the threatened imposition of Community Infrastructure Levy(CIL) when they submitted plans to Havering Council to rebuild their homes. This week I wrote to the new Government Planning Minister to ask that a review be conducted so that rebuilds of homes destroyed by fire or any other disaster are exempt from the charge.”

Margaret went on to add “There are important lessons to be learned to prevent future disasters as faced by local people, this is particularly vital given the impact of climate change. One of these lessons is that vegetation should be cut back in the area of fields adjacent to housing to form a fire break.”  

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