Havering in East London includes Romford, Hornchurch, and Rainham. About 54% of the borough is Green Belt, shaping development on the outskirts of suburban communities. Known for historic market towns and parks, planning balances growth with protection of open land.
In the last year Havering decided 1,446 applications which is well above the national average of 959. The approval rate was 77% (slightly below the national average of 88%) and 54% of applications were decided on time, (slightly below the national average of 58%). Stats updated Sept 2026 from gov.uk sources. See how Havering performs relative to other LPAs in our LPA hub.
Significantly, 54.0% of Havering is within the Green Belt and proposals in these areas can be subject to very high levels of scrutiny.
Development within the Green Belt surrounding London is highly sensitive and politically contentious. The Green Belt surrounding Romford, Upminster, and Hornchurch constrains development to maintain open land and settlement gaps.
In our experience, one of the top reasons poorly conceived Green Belt proposals are refused is causing 'harm to openness'. We can lower the risk of refusal with site-specific guidance. Contact us here.
You can also check whether your land is within the Green Belt using our interactive Green Belt map.
Tidal Thames influence and the Beam and Ingrebourne rivers place extensive areas of east and south Havering within Flood Zone 3, a major constraint on the borough's development capacity.
Where constraints permit, we can develop proposals that manage flood risk thoughtfully to give applications the best chance of approval. Learn more about development risks in flood risk areas here.
In addition to acting as Planing Conultants we are ARB registered architects with 25+ years of experience. We provide a full range of planning services, including:
Thoughtful, well-considered design is often the key to securing Planning Permission, particularly on sites where others struggle to find a way forward. Let’s discuss your project.
Havering in East London includes Romford, Hornchurch, and Rainham. About 54% of the borough is Green Belt, shaping development on the outskirts of suburban communities. Known for historic market towns and parks, planning balances growth with protection of open land.
In the last year Havering decided 1,446 applications which is well above the national average of 959. The approval rate was 77% (slightly below the national average of 88%) and 54% of applications were decided on time, (slightly below the national average of 58%). Stats updated Sept 2026 from gov.uk sources. See how Havering performs relative to other LPAs in our LPA hub.
Significantly, 54.0% of Havering is within the Green Belt and proposals in these areas can be subject to very high levels of scrutiny.
Development within the Green Belt surrounding London is highly sensitive and politically contentious. The Green Belt surrounding Romford, Upminster, and Hornchurch constrains development to maintain open land and settlement gaps.
In our experience, one of the top reasons poorly conceived Green Belt proposals are refused is causing 'harm to openness'. We can lower the risk of refusal with site-specific guidance. Contact us here.
You can also check whether your land is within the Green Belt using our interactive Green Belt map.
Tidal Thames influence and the Beam and Ingrebourne rivers place extensive areas of east and south Havering within Flood Zone 3, a major constraint on the borough's development capacity.
Where constraints permit, we can develop proposals that manage flood risk thoughtfully to give applications the best chance of approval. Learn more about development risks in flood risk areas here.
In addition to acting as Planing Conultants we are ARB registered architects with 25+ years of experience. We provide a full range of planning services, including:
Thoughtful, well-considered design is often the key to securing Planning Permission, particularly on sites where others struggle to find a way forward. Let’s discuss your project.
