The Council had received a representation from the GVA on behalf of Barratts for the site at Mardyke Farm.  This was lodged as part of the recent public consultation on the new Local Plan. 

There have been 49 sites proposed by third parties for removal from the Green Belt.

GVA/ Barratts had submitted proposals for Mardyke Farm to be removed from the Green Belt and redeveloped for housing and other purposes.  Barratts are currently carrying out further work to support their submission, and will be coming back to the Council with their proposals.

All the proposals for sites being removed from the Green belt will be looked at when preparing the Local Plan, taking into account the Green Belt boundary review and current work taking place regarding housing needs as identified in on-going evidence building work that will support the new local plan.  Officers explained that the current annual housing target figure set out in the latest London Plan was 1,170 units per year.  This figure was agreed following close working with the Mayor’s London Plan team during the work on the London Plan strategic housing land availability assessment (SHLAA) and utilises brownfield sites and other land earmarked for development such as parts of London Riverside.  It does not require the release of any Green Belt land or land in open space use nor land needed for employment purposes.

Members raised several concerns such as: the protracted duration of the current remediation and restoration works and the possibility that restoration would not proceed in accordance with the approved plans and would be aimed at facilitating a housing redevelopment. Comments were made about the condition of the site being used as a reason for housing redevelopment rather than return to open uses. Members commented on the importance of the site in terms of it fulfilling Green Belt functions such as preventing urban sprawl and maintaining and open area between Havering and its Barking and Dagenham neighbour. Officers explained that the representation from GVA / Barratts does not supersede the requirements of the existing legal agreements linked to the site and its restoration / future uses.

Members asked if they could visit the site and enter it and were advised that it would be inappropriate to do this as the site remains in private ownership and subject to on-going works to support its restoration. 

Officers stated that in due course each site included in the responses to the local plan consultation will be assessed against the Government’s national planning policy framework and matters such as housing need to see if removal from the Green Belt was justified. Officers confirmed that at this stage there is no commitment on the Council’s part to the Mardyke site being removed from the Green Belt. Members commented that in their view there was no justification for the release of the Mardyke Farm site from the Green Belt for housing purposes when the nearby London Riverside area may eventually accommodate several thousand new homes. Officers commented that this may suggest that strongly supporting the current London Riverside proposals and planning and regeneration initiatives linked to it (such as the Rainham Framework project) may be helpful.