Havering residents say NO to any building on Green Belt land.

An overwhelming majority of Havering residents have made their views clear — they do not want to see the borough’s Green Belt built on.

The Havering Daily ran a poll this week asking residents for their thoughts on development across the borough. With large-scale projects already transforming parts of London, many feel Havering is being forced to follow suit — and local voices are too often the last to be heard.

When asked whether they supported building on Green Belt land, the results were decisive: 91% said “definitely not,” 2% said “yes,” and 5% said “only on certain occasions.”

Havering has long prided itself on being an outer London borough — a “town and country” area with beautiful parks and open spaces. But those green spaces are increasingly under threat.

Plans for a huge data centre in North Ockendon, set to cover farmland rich in wildlife along a peaceful country lane, have sparked outrage among residents. At the same time, proposals for a motorway service area between Harold Hill, Noak Hill and Brentwood could see acres of protected countryside concreted over.

Meanwhile, a housing development in Hornchurch could bring more than 500 new homes, including tower blocks to fields that currently separate Hornchurch from Upminster. These fields are cherished by locals, used for farming, and teeming with wildlife.

The community fear the borough’s unique identity is being lost.

Resident’s voices are lost amongst the noise of bulldozers and cement mixers as they concrete over green spaces.

The message from this poll is very clear: NO to building on greenbelt land and with 91% of residents opposed to any building on the Green Belt, Havering’s community says NO to losing more of its natural landscape.

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