Harold Hill Councillor Presents Major Petition Opposing MOTO’s Green Belt Development at Full Council Meeting.

Councillor Pat Brown presented a petition signed by hundreds of local residents opposing the proposed MOTO motorway service area at the last full Council meeting on Wednesday 19 November 2025. The development, which would build extensive new services on both sides of the M25 in Brentwood and Havering, comes on top of the disruption and environmental pressures expected from the Lower Thames Crossing.

The petition includes 353 unique Havering signatories, drawn from a combination of paper petitions, online responses, and formal letters of objection. A further 2,264 people have signed the wider Change.org petition opposing the scheme, demonstrating the scale of local and regional concern. Organisers note that due to technical and data-sharing constraints, the Havering-only petition would likely have reached closer to 500 local signatures if all readable names and permissions could have been processed in time.

The petition reflects widespread community concern about the impact of the development on local infrastructure, traffic congestion, air quality and environmental sustainability. Residents are particularly alarmed by plans to concrete over 45 hectares of protected Green Belt land. Campaigners warn that this would irreversibly damage the local environment, destroy wildlife habitats, and undermine valued open spaces.

Councillor Pat Brown said: “This petition demonstrates the strength of feeling among residents who believe the proposed development is not in the best interests of our community. Losing Green Belt land on this scale is unacceptable, and I am committed to ensuring their voices are heard at the highest level.”

Councillor Keith Darvill, representing Heaton Ward, added: “It’s all very well for developers to promote EV chargers or tree-planting, but that cannot justify yet more traffic on the roads. We should be prioritising public transport and sustainable freight by rail, not sacrificing our green heritage for future generations.”

Although the planning application will ultimately be decided by Brentwood Borough Council, the consequences for Havering, particularly Harold Hill, are considerable. Local residents warn that increased traffic, air pollution, and pressure on public services will all be felt within the borough.

Harold Hill Councillors.

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