Rainham site achieves village green status

Havering residents have won their fight to save a much loved local green, which now has ‘village green’ status.

This means the council can register the area as a protected space that will remain undeveloped ‘in perpetuity’.

The decision by Havering Council to protect the green at New Zealand Way, on the Dover’s Farm Estate, follows a long battle against plans to build houses on the site.

CPRE London supported the campaign. We wrote to the council to object to the proposed development, citing its heritage status, and regular use as a public space.

Campaigners were “thrilled” to hear the area will have village green status.  Campaigner Colin Bloor, a long-term resident, said:

“We like that the site will now get legal protection, so we can now relax and believe it will always be there available for us into the future.”

Colin said he had grown up playing on the greens as a child, and the space holds a special place in his life.

In framing its objections, CPRE London pointed out to Havering that the area contains plenty of other sites for housing.

The community has used this green since the estate was built in the early 1950s, and it is the location for events.

Additionally, the site hosts a plaque commemorating the support of Australian and New Zealand forces in the two world wars.

Roads including New Zealand Way where the estate is, were named after soldiers from Australia and New Zealand who were based in the Rainham and Hornchurch area. Residents raised money for the plaque through fundraising, and it was unveiled by the New Zealand deputy High Commissioner in 2017.

CPRE London campaigns manager Alice Roberts said: ‘The success of this campaign shows the value of community support. At least three applications have been made to build on the site, but residents did not let up their protest.

‘Ultimately Havering recognised the value of this space, and we are delighted that it will remain protected from development, and continue to exist as a community resource.’

For the full story, see Havering Council to give open spaces village green status | This Is Local London

Find out more about CPRE London and how you can help protect London’s green spaces Get involved – CPRE London