A car park in Hornchurch is now underway to be developed into housing. Residents living nearby have watched as trees have been cut down, hedges removed, and green buffers stripped away to make room for heavy machinery and concrete. For many Londoners, it has become a familiar pattern — greenery lost, concrete poured.
Havering Council says developments like this are unavoidable. The borough is required to meet housing targets set both by the UK Government and the Mayor of London, meaning new homes must be delivered.
However, many Havering residents are increasingly frustrated. They feel that every remaining “nook and cranny” is being earmarked for flats or houses, while the green spaces that give outer-London boroughs their character are steadily disappearing.
Havering’s housing targets – the breakdown
Havering is operating under multiple layers of housing targets, which can be confusing:
- London Plan (Mayor of London)
Havering has been set a target of around 1,285 new homes per year, equating to 12,850 homes over a ten-year period. This is the figure the borough is currently expected to plan against. - Havering Local Plan (2016–2031)
The council’s own adopted Local Plan commits to delivering at least 17,551 new homes across the 15-year plan period. - Government “standard method” housing need
Using the Government’s national formula, Havering’s assessed housing need is much higher — close to 3,000 homes per year. While this figure is not fully binding, it is increasingly influential in planning decisions.
Despite these requirements, Havering is behind on delivery compared with many other London boroughs, particularly inner-London areas that are building at higher densities.
So what happens if Havering doesn’t meet its targets?
If Havering continues to fall short of its housing targets, there are serious planning consequences:
- Loss of local control
Developers can argue that the council is failing to meet housing need, making it much harder for the council to refuse applications — even unpopular ones. - Planning appeals are more likely to succeed
Government planning inspectors often side with developers when housing supply is low, overruling local objections. - The “presumption in favour of sustainable development” kicks in
This means proposals are more likely to be approved unless clear harm can be proven. - Greater pressure on green and marginal land
As brownfield sites run out, under-used car parks, small green spaces and buffer zones become prime targets.
In short, if the council doesn’t build enough homes, it loses power over where and how homes are built, a reality that is now playing out across Havering.
For residents watching trees fall and concrete arrive, the question remains: how does Havering balance the need for homes with protecting the spaces that make the borough feel liveable in the first place?
Photo Credit: Peter Barrett
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