National Highways Lower Thames Crossing Community Fund The National Highways Lower Thames Crossing Community Fund for 2026 is now open for applications from constituted charities and community groups. For Havering, the fund provides grants of up to £10,000 to organisations working to improve the lives of people living in communities close to the Lower Thames Crossing. Projects must support work in one... Read More Potential development in the Ingrebourne Valley Residents may or not be aware that a company called Richborough are proposing to build up to 570 homes on fields east of Wingletye Lane (north of Benets Road and south of Emerson Park School). This is on the Emerson Park side of the Ingrebourne Valley. The Upminster and Cranham Residents' Association recently delivered the... Read More Local road maintenance ratings 2025-26 The Department for Transport have published local road maintenance ratings for every local authority in England. The ratings, which range from green (highest) through amber to red (lowest), measure how well each local highway authority is maintaining its local roads and are based on three areas: the current condition of local roads how much each... Read More Freedom Pass saved There has been a lot of speculation since the start of the year concerning the possible removal or reduction of the Freedom Pass in London, used widely by pensioners and some people with disabilities, for free travel on Transport for London (TfL) and some National Rail services. However, we can confirm that following objections from... Read More Havering Council opposes the London Emergency Housing Package Havering Council has formally objected to the Government’s proposed London Emergency Housing Package and has released the following statement - 'Under the proposals, local authorities would be required to grant temporary Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) relief to housing developments in certain circumstances and accept a significant expansion of Mayoral powers over planning decisions. The proposals would... Read More Planning applications in Havering (03 - 09 February 2026) Every week, Havering Council publishes a lists of planning applications received within the previous seven days. To view the most recent list see the 03 - 09 February 2026 Weekly Planning List link. To view lists of earlier applications, see the Eight Week Planning Applications link. Read More Brain Injury Unit appeal granted With reference to our previous posts concerning the planning application P0054.25 for the ‘Erection of Acquired Brain Injury Unit with associated access, car and cycle parking, landscaping and infrastructure’, on land next to Coopers Coborn School’s playing field in St. Mary’s Lane, Upminster, an appeal against the Local Planning Authority's refusal of planning permission... Read More Road resurfacing in Dart Close and Fleet Avenue Havering Council have announced that road resurfacing works will take place in Dart Close on Thursday 26 February and Fleet Avenue on Friday 27 February 2026, between 8am and 5pm on both days. During these times, both roads will be closed to traffic. Affected properties will be receiving a letter from the council, detailing the... Read More Feathered Friends craft workshop at Thames Chase Thames Chase Forest Centre will be hosting a Feathered Friends craft workshop on Tuesday 17 February 2026. Children will dive into a world of hands-on fun as they build wooden bird planes, design vibrant bird wings, and create delightful rocking birds. This engaging session is perfect for inspiring imagination while developing creativity and fine motor... Read More Electrical Fire Safety Week 2026 According to government statistics, smoke alarms were absent in more than one-third of fire-related fatalities in the past year. Also, 43% of Britons admit to not checking their smoke alarms with the recommended frequency - Not because they don’t care, but because danger doesn’t feel real when everything looks normal. That tiny sound you keep meaning... Read More The Arts Society, Havering February 2026 talk The Arts Society, Havering will be holding their next talk from 10.15am on Tuesday 10 February 2026 at the New Windmill Hall, Upminster The subject of the talk is Architecture + Photography = Art by Brian Stater. According to one leading architect, “the modern architectural drawing is interesting, the photograph is magnificent, the building is an... Read More Planning applications in Havering (27 January - 02 February 2026) Every week, Havering Council publishes a lists of planning applications received within the previous seven days. To view the most recent list see the 27 January - 02 February 2026 Weekly Planning List link. To view lists of earlier applications, see the Eight Week Planning Applications link. Read More Planning appeals - Avon House, Avon Road, Cranham We have been informed that the national Planning Inspectorate has received appeals against two refusals of planning permission by Havering Council, at Avon House, 172 Avon Road, Cranham. The first was a normal planning application and the second, an application for prior approval of development. Both applications were for essentially the same proposal, for an addition... Read More Upminster and Cranham Residents' Association A History of the Ratepayers' Association in Upminster and Cranham Did you know that the present day Upminster and Cranham Residents' Association's (UCRA) origins can be traced back to at least 1905? Or that the originally separate Upminster Association, had representatives on the local Parish Council from before the start of the Second World War? A History of the Ratepayers' Association in Upminster and Cranham was... Read More Cranham Police Ward Panel meeting The Cranham Police Ward Panel met on 21 January 2026, and panel members discussed crime trends and other local police related issues with our local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) officers. In the two and half months from the start of November 2025 there were the following crimes highlighted - Seven Residential burglaries, spread across the... Read More Cranham Police drop-in surgery 31 January 2026 Our local Cranham Police Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) will be holding a drop-in surgery from 4-5pm on Saturday 31 January 2026 in the Cranham Community Centre, Marlborough Gardens, Cranham. Come and see them to speak about local police related issues and for crime prevention advice. Read More Planning applications in Havering (20 - 26 January 2026) Every week, Havering Council publishes a lists of planning applications received within the previous seven days. To view the most recent list see the 20 - 26 January 2026 Weekly Planning List link. To view lists of earlier applications, see the Eight Week Planning Applications link. Read More Planning applications in Havering (13 - 19 January 2026) Every week, Havering Council publishes a lists of planning applications received within the previous seven days. To view the most recent list see the 13 - 19 January 2026 Weekly Planning List link. To view lists of earlier applications, see the Eight Week Planning Applications link. Read More Upminster and Cranham Residents' Association Online Bulletin subscription payments now available The Upminster and Cranham Residents' Association (UCRA) are pleased to announce that residents can now pay their £2.00 annual membership subscription (for The Bulletin) direct to us via an online bank payment. For those that don’t have access to online banking, the option of paying your £2.00 subscription through one of our collectors will still... Read More Coffee pod roadside collection ending Havering Council have released the following statement regarding the end of the collection of coffee pods as part of Havering's refuse collection service. Podback has decided to end the collection of coffee pods which have been part of Havering’s weekly collection service. The decision is by Podback and not Havering Council or FCC, the Council’s waste... Read More Road resurfacing in Stour Way and Dee Close Havering Council have informed Cranham Ward Councillors that road resurfacing will take place in Stour Way and Dee Close, Cranham from 8am - 5pm on Wednesday 04 and Thursday 05 February 2026. Residents of those and adjacent affected roads, will shortly receive a letter from Havering Council, detailing access arrangements during the works, including rubbish... Read More Council statement re Housing Allocations Scheme Cllr Natasha Summers, Cabinet Lead for Housing Need and Climate Change at Havering Council, has released a statement regarding the new Housing Allocations Scheme. "The Council’s new Housing Allocations Scheme launched in September 2025 to ensure available homes go to those who need them most. This updated policy introduced a points-based system to ensure that Havering’s... Read More Planning applications in Havering (06 - 12 January 2026) Every week, Havering Council publishes a lists of planning applications received within the previous seven days. To view the most recent list see the 06 - 12 January 2026 Weekly Planning List link. To view lists of earlier applications, see the Eight Week Planning Applications link. Read More Green Belt - Grey Area? Havering's Green Belt is one of the key features of the area, providing green aspects, open spaces and an important sense of connection with the natural world on our doorstep. The Upminster & Cranham Residents' Association has always taken a strong line in seeking to protect the Green Belt from inappropriate development, and to... Read More The Arts Society, Havering January 2026 talk The Arts Society, Havering will be holding their next talk on Tuesday 13 January 2026 in The New Windmill Hall, Upminster RM14 2QH, starting at 10:15 am. This event is open to visitors for a fee of £8. The Century of Deception: The Birth of Hoax in the Eighteenth Century by Ian Keable The 1700s was... Read More Planning applications in Havering (30 December 2025 - 05 January 2026) Every week, Havering Council publishes a lists of planning applications received within the previous seven days. To view the most recent list see the 30 December 2025 - 05 January 2026 Weekly Planning List link. To view lists of earlier applications, see the Eight Week Planning Applications link. Read More Railway 200 exhibition train visiting Upminster Station Did you know that on 27 September 1825, the world’s first passenger train, hauled by George Stephenson’s Locomotion No.1, carried more than 400 people along the Stockton and Darlington Railway? The landmark event drew crowds of up to 40,000 people and marked the birth of modern passenger train travel. Network Rail's Railway 200, the national... Read More Saint Francis Hospice Christmas tree recycling Once again, Saint Francis Hospice are providing a Christmas tree recycling service this year. Between Thursday 08 and Sunday 11 January 2026, volunteers will collect and recycle your real Christmas tree for a donation. You must book the collection in advance via sfh.org.uk/recycle-your-christmas-tree .The closing date to register is midday on Monday 05 January 2026. All... Read More Upminster and Cranham Residents' Association January 2026 Bulletin now online The online version of the January 2026 edition of the Bulletin is now available via the January 2026 Bulletin link.   Read More Planning applications in Havering (23 - 29 December 2025) Every week, Havering Council publishes a lists of planning applications received within the previous seven days. To view the most recent list see the 23 - 29 December 2025 Weekly Planning List link. To view lists of earlier applications, see the Eight Week Planning Applications link. Read More

Upminster and Cranham Residents' Association Recent News

  • National Highways Lower Thames Crossing Community Fund
    National Highways Lower Thames Crossing Community Fund
    The National Highways Lower Thames Crossing Community Fund for 2026 is now open for applications from constituted charities and community groups. For Havering, the fund provides grants of up to £10,000 to organisations working to improve the lives of people living in communities close to the Lower...
    Read more →
  • Potential development in the Ingrebourne Valley
    Potential development in the Ingrebourne Valley
    Residents may or not be aware that a company called Richborough are proposing to build up to 570 homes on fields east of Wingletye Lane (north of Benets Road and south of Emerson Park School). This is on the Emerson Park side of the Ingrebourne Valley. The...
    Read more →
  • Local road maintenance ratings 2025-26
    Local road maintenance ratings 2025-26
    The Department for Transport have published local road maintenance ratings for every local authority in England. The ratings, which range from green (highest) through amber to red (lowest), measure how well each local highway authority is maintaining its local roads and are based on three areas: the current...
    Read more →
  • Freedom Pass saved
    Freedom Pass saved
    There has been a lot of speculation since the start of the year concerning the possible removal or reduction of the Freedom Pass in London, used widely by pensioners and some people with disabilities, for free travel on Transport for London (TfL) and some National Rail services....
    Read more →