“‘Breathe Our Air for a Day!’ Residents Dared Officials to Stay Near Launders Lane — None Did”

What next for residents living near Launders Lane?

After a decade of suffering from choking dust, noxious smells, and constant worry over air quality, residents near Launders Lane have finally received official confirmation from Havering Council that the land has been deemed contaminated.

For ten long years, people living close to the site have described what they say are “terrible conditions” — dust coating their homes, a persistent smell of burning, and ongoing health concerns. We have heard of residents suffering double pneumonia, COPD and lung cancer.

The emotional and physical toll has been enormous. Some residents have spoken of repeated respiratory problems, anxiety, and disrupted daily life. Parents have reported children being kept indoors when the air quality appears poor. Local play areas have sometimes been shrouded in haze, with families told to stay inside.

Community group Clear The Air Havering, led by campaigner Ruth Kettle-Frisby, successfully challenged the council’s earlier classification of the site, winning the right for the land to be reassessed. Following that review, Havering Council has now confirmed the land as contaminated.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said one campaigner. “We’re relieved the truth has finally been acknowledged, but what we need now is action — and fast.”

Residents have repeatedly appealed for those in authority to visit the site and witness conditions first-hand. Despite multiple public meetings, they say their pleas have gone unanswered. “We invited them to come and stay for a few days, to see what we live with,” said another local. “No one took us up on it.”

The council has said it is working with environmental specialists to determine next steps, including potential remediation work. However, campaigners warn that further delay would prolong the suffering of those who have lived under these conditions for too long.

“We have a right to breathe clean air and to live without fear of what’s in it,” one resident told The Havering Daily. “This is not a war zone — this is our home.”

As the community awaits a remediation plan, the message from Rainham is clear: enough talk. Residents say they now need urgent, visible action to make their homes safe again.

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