Overdevelopment Fears as New Homes Outnumber GP Surgeries in Havering.

Special Report: Havering’s Housing Boom Raises Questions as Population Growth Outpaces GP Surgeries, Dentists and Schools. Approximately 34 to 38 GP practices serving a population of over 293,000 people.

Havering is in the middle of a significant period of housing growth, but mounting evidence suggests that the increase in population is not being matched by the number of GP surgeries, dental practices and schools needed to support it.

According to planning targets, the borough is expected to deliver around 12,850 new homes over a ten year period. That equates to more than 1,200 homes a year and potentially tens of thousands of new residents moving into the area.

Yet when looking at the infrastructure designed to support that growth, a different picture begins to emerge.

In terms of healthcare, Havering currently has approximately 34 to 38 GP practices serving a population of over 293,000 people. Rather than seeing a wave of new surgeries opening to meet rising demand, the system has largely relied on expanding existing practices, merging services, and introducing GP networks. While there has been a new medical hub at the former St George’s Hospital site, this represents a single large facility rather than a widespread increase in GP provision across the borough.

This means that as the population grows, more residents are being absorbed into an already stretched system, with no clear evidence that the number of GP surgeries is increasing at the same pace as housing development.

The situation is even more concerning when it comes to dental care. There is no clear data showing a significant rise in NHS dental practices in Havering in recent years. At the same time, access to NHS dentists is already widely reported as difficult, with many residents struggling to secure appointments. With more homes being built and more people moving into the borough, demand for dental services is expected to rise further, yet provision does not appear to be keeping up.

Education provision tells a similar story. While there have been some new school developments, such as the new Beam Park and Bridge Close, the majority of the borough’s response to increased demand has been to expand existing schools rather than build new ones. This approach may provide short term relief, but it raises concerns about long term capacity as population growth continues.

The figures highlight a clear imbalance. Housing growth in Havering is rapid and ongoing, but infrastructure growth is slower and often limited to expansions rather than entirely new facilities. This has led to increasing concern among residents that population growth is outpacing the number of GP surgeries, dental practices and school places available.

Adding to these concerns is the location of some developments. In certain areas, housing is being proposed or built on smaller sites such as former car parks, including locations like Keswick Avenue in Hornchurch. While these developments increase housing numbers, they typically do not deliver new infrastructure alongside them, further intensifying pressure on existing services.

Taken together, the data paints a consistent picture. Thousands of new homes are being delivered, bringing with them a growing population, but the number of GP surgeries and dental practices is not increasing at the same rate. Schools are also under pressure, with expansion rather than new provision being the primary solution.

For many residents, the concern is clear. Without a significant increase in healthcare and education infrastructure, the gap between population growth and service provision will continue to widen. With further developments still planned across the borough, there are growing fears that the strain on GP surgeries, dentists and schools will only intensify in the years ahead.

Houses being built on Keswick Avenue in Hornchurch on the former car park. Photo credit: Peter Barrett

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