Has Havering’s Green and Pleasant Land Become Grey and Concrete?

In poetry, England is described as a “green and pleasant land”, but is it still green, and is it still pleasant?

Havering is facing an endless list of battles and right at the top sits the fight to save its green spaces. As one of London’s outer boroughs, Havering has long been known for its countryside feel, its open fields, and its unique mix of town and country life. But for how much longer?

The list of possible developments is growing and alarmingly, many are on greenbelt land. A recent Guardian report revealed that the UK now ranks fifth-worst in the world for the loss of protected green spaces, showing that even land once considered safe is being swallowed by construction and commercial projects.

Havering is all too familiar with this. Local residents are currently battling proposals for a massive data centre on greenbelt land, a project that would wipe out wildlife habitats and scar the landscape for generations. And that’s not the only one. Plans for a large housing development in Hornchurch threaten more of the borough’s greenbelt, while the proposed MOTO service station could destroy acres of countryside and countless species that depend on it.

Over the last few years, Havering’s natural environment has paid a heavy price. Birds that once filled the skies, skylarks, meadow pipits, turtle doves, and nightingales are now vanishing, surviving only in small reserves such as Ingrebourne Valley. Hedgehogs, harvest mice, and water voles are under serious pressure, while badger setts have been destroyed in areas like North Ockendon.

Even our smaller pollinators bees and butterflies are declining fast, taking with them the beauty and balance of our local ecosystems. Residents often report fewer butterflies in their gardens and fewer birdsong mornings, a quiet but powerful sign that nature is slipping away.

And the trees tell a heartbreaking story of their own. Havering has seen one of the largest drops in tree cover of any London borough, falling from around 25% in 2018 to just 14% by 2024. In one shocking incident, around 4,000 trees and whips were cut down in Harrow Lodge Park, many planted by local volunteers who had worked tirelessly to bring green life back to the area. The loss of the ancient elm tree in Havering-atte-Bower marked another symbolic blow to the borough’s natural heritage.

In poetry, England is described as a “green and pleasant land”, but is it still green, and is it still pleasant? Increasingly, our borough looks grey, concrete, and tired. Tower blocks rise where trees once stood; wildlife is pushed further out, and open space shrinks each year.

It’s not just about beauty, it’s about balance. Every lost patch of grass, every cut-down tree, every bulldozed hedgerow chips away at the health of our environment and our people. Green spaces are vital for mental health, for children’s play, for clean air, and for wildlife survival.

Havering’s residents continue to fight with petitions, campaigns, and community voices determined to preserve what’s left of our countryside. But the question remains:
How much more will we lose before we decide enough is enough?

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