A million-pound drugs bust on a site set for housing regeneration has led to calls for greater enforcement.

The Metropolitan Police found 700 mature plants with a street value of £1m in a raid behind a property in Bridge Close in Romford on June 6.

This was confirmed to have taken place by Supt Simon Hutchinson in an email seen by this paper.

Bridge Close LLP, the council-owned developer, submitted a planning application last year to build up to 1,070 homes, a primary school and a health centre among other amenities.

Last week, the Recorder reported that it is in advanced discussions with Havering Islamic Community Centre to purchase its site in Waterloo Road as part of the regeneration. The HICC is now planning to move elsewhere in Romford.

The drugs discovery within the Bridge Close development area has sparked concern.

Jane Keane, Labour councillor for St Albans ward in Romford, said: “It shouldn’t be happening. “We’ve got a big problem with drugs and alcohol in Romford."

She claimed that the regeneration site "is not managed as well as it could be and the impact on residents has been significant".

"It's completely unacceptable when the council is piecing together an estate for that kind of thing [illegal activity] to be happening," she added.

RELATED NEWS: Plan to build 1,070 new homes and school in Romford

A CGI of the proposed Bridge Close developmentA CGI of the proposed Bridge Close development (Image: Havering Council)

Nick Gyring-Nielsen, senior council regeneration manager, confirmed the raided unit was to the back of a property in Bridge Close in an email seen by this paper.

Mr Gyring-Nielsen stated that while Bridge Close Regeneration LLP had acquired the freehold to the property in question in 2023, the rights and management of it fell to the current owner, said to have a 999-year lease.

A council spokesperson said they could not provide the private owner's name.

Cllr Keane called on the local authority to increase its control over the regeneration site to stop criminal and anti-social behaviour.

She reiterated that residents near Bridge Close were suffering due to "obvious" drug dealing.

“Town centre residents bear the brunt of a lot of antisocial behaviour," she added.

She also expressed concern that the correct information on problems at Bridge Close was not being passed down at the right time.

In a council meeting on July 24, cabinet member for regeneration Cllr Graham Williamson did not appear to know the drugs bust had taken place when quizzed by Cllr Keane.

“The managing agent inspected the property in question and it turned out there was a suspect of a cannabis farm, but there was no cannabis,” Cllr Williamson told the meeting.

"No product was found, but equipment could've been used for that," he added. "The police couldn't raid it because no product was actually found - but they're onto it now."

A council spokesperson acknowledged last Monday (August 19) it may be the case that one or both parties were not given the full information.

Cllr Williamson was also contacted for comment.