Rainham Lodge Farm quarry plans met with 2,000 objections

Proposals submitted by building materials company Brett for a quarry at Rainham Lodge Farm, Upminster, have been met with 1,971 objections.

Only two were in support of the plans, and there were 42 other comments submitted to Havering Council.

These totals were recorded at the end of the response period, which closed on November 7.

A quarry is planned for the 55-hectare Rainham Lodge Farm site (Image: Stephen M Daw Ltd)

Several politicians have also made clear their objections to the planning application, with MP for Dagenham and Rainham Margaret Mullane previously saying she was "completely opposed" to the new sand and gravel extraction site.

After hearing the number of objections from residents, the MP told the Recorder she "fully supports" the residents of Rainham in their objections.

She added that her constituents are "blighted" by poor air quality, and felt that the plans would lead to a "dramatic and constant deterioration of air quality" for nearby communities in the Upminster Road North area.

Hornchurch and Upminster MP Julia Lopez also "urgently" raised residents' concerns in an "extensive" submission to Havering Council's planning department before the closure of the response period.

The entrance to Brett's current Rainham Quarry site in Launders Lane (Image: Google Maps)

In the submission, she outlined residents' worries about noise pollution, narrow lanes in the area becoming more "dangerous" with the movement of HGV lorries and the impact on wildlife and the environment.

READ MORE: Rainham Lodge Farm quarry plans met with 471 objections

Ms Lopez said: "While I acknowledge the requirements placed upon the council to provide a landbank for the extraction of aggregates, I would ask the council to heed the deeply-held concerns of my constituents, who request that consent is denied."

On hearing the number of objections, she added: "The fact that nearly 2,000 people have raised their objections shows how strongly people feel in opposing this application.

"The proposed development is not in the interest of local people and their many objections demonstrate that."

If the planning application goes ahead, it will see Rainham Lodge Farm - which measures around 550,000 square metres according to the planning documents - turned into an extraction site for two million tonnes of sand and gravel.

These minerals would then be transported to the current Rainham Quarry site for processing - involving six HGV lorries travelling along Berwick Pond Road and Launders Lane every hour.

Havering Council is expected to make a decision on the plans by January 22, 2025.

Brett has not responded to further requests for comment.