The leader of Havering Council has been accused of threatening the borough’s “cherished Green Belt” on the BBC.
Cllr Ray Morgon was speaking to BBC Radio London presenter Eddie Nestor on Tuesday (October 18) when he made a comment about potentially building on Green Belt land to help ease the borough’s housing crisis.
It was in response to a question from Mr Nestor on homelessness, when he queried whether the local authority would need to look to build on the “fantastic land” in Havering.
Cllr Morgon answered: “That’s one of the things we have to deal with in our local plan.”
He went on to note a conversation he had with the head of planning about potential housing remedies, adding: “I’d like to see us building...I’m not wedded, personally, to the Green Belt, because you can build on that.
"But I still want those open spaces that people can live in.”
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The comment has raised concern among some councillors, including Conservative Cllr Jason Frost, who shared an excerpt of the audio on Facebook.
In the post, Cllr Frost asked: “Are the bulldozers coming?
“The Mawneys Team are very saddened to hear that the leader of the council has declared himself to be ‘not wedding [sic] to the Green Belt’ in his interview with BBC London today.
“This will mark a significant change in how future development is planned and managed in Havering.”
Cllr Damian White, leader of the Conservatives and former leader of the council, told the Recorder: “I think it’s shameful that we have an RA (Residents' Association) council that even considers building on our cherished Green Belt on the altar of housing targets.”
He said he has “never met a resident in Havering that would like to build on the Green Belt”.
Cllr White added multiple steps are required before construction can begin on the protected Green Belt, including a call-out to potential locations and the ability to show a certain density of homes have been built on brownfield sites first.
Following the broadcast, Cllr Morgon told the Recorder: “None of us want to build on Green Belt land but unfortunately we have to meet government housing targets and housing targets by the London Mayor.
“The St George’s development shows that we can build houses and have lots of open space rather that a Romford Ice rink development that will see lots of blocks of flats and very little green space.
“I am not wedded to the Green Belt as I said, but that does not mean I want to build all over it and would be an exception rather than a rule.”
Cllr Paul McGeary, Labour cabinet member for housing, was also approached for comment.
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