Chapman’s Farm – Latest
It has recently emerged that Chapman’s Farm, located on Hall Lane (opposite Bird Lane) and currently used for horse riding and stabling, has been sold by Trinity College, Cambridge University, subject to planning permission. In addition the riding stables have been given until 31st December to vacate the premises.
The farm covers an area of 1 acre and, like the adjoining fields, is situated on Green Belt land. As yet, no Planning Application has been received for the potential development of seven ‘luxury’ homes. However, any such development would be subject to planning approval which would have to take into account the impact on the Green Belt.
Clearly, this has caused significant concern in the community and, as soon as an application is received, we shall advise residents through this website, social media, flyers and The Bulletin.
It is important that objections/comments are made which refer to a specific planning application (which we are yet to receive), otherwise a general disapproval of building on the site (without reference to a Planning Application) cannot be taken into account when the application is finally considered by the Planning Committee.
Protecting our Green Belt is a top priority for the Residents’ Association and we shall keep you updated on this.
For information, the sale literature can be found HERE .
We need you, our elected councillors to do what you were elected and paid for that us to fight for us. Those stables are part of Upminster’s heritage, part of the fabric of the community and for the council to grant planning would be a travisty. We cannot allow this to happen.
In order to not allow it to happen. You need to support the Councillors, by objecting in they way then need you to object. i.e by referring to the planning application.
Council will fight it but the pressure from the government is to allow some Green Belt development. Also with cuts in council funding they have limited legal resources to battle with developers. The gov. has already warned Havering that they are rejecting too many planning apps. The nonsense is that houses built on this site will be expensive and will do nothing to address the crisis in respect of the lack of affordable properties
That stretch of road is possibly the unsafe in Upminster. To then add more vehicles stopping to turn into and pulling out of this site will only make matters worse.
It’s 7 houses, get a grip
Yes Barry its 7 houses then another 15 then before you know it the place will be one big housing estate, shops etc. If you like cities and don’t appreciate our beautiful countryside go live in a highly populated, polluted city. I spent my childhood and beyond up chapmans with my pony & horse picking strawberries for the farmer. Get a grip!
But it’s not a town or housing estate, it’s 7 houses. On 1 acre of land.
There is already buildings and stables on the land, you are trading them for houses. People love to get their knickers in a twist over the smallest things.
7 houses… it would be the thin edge of the wedge. The farm land without the farm yard would become difficult to use, eventually falling into dereliction, then some developer comes along and puts in a planning application for a small estate. The farm land as well as the yard is currently owned by Cambridge University, they have been trying to off load that site for many years, a golf course, supermarket and petrol station have been but a few of the previous schemes. The University knows if the planning on the yard goes through the value of the farm land will go up as potential building land.
This is not just about 7 houses it would lead to a dramatic alteration of the landscape and immediate environment.
It should be opposed.
Allowing any planning application on green belt will be the “thin end of the wedge” with more applications to follow as the precedent will have been set.
Traffic and pollution is already bad enough down Hall Lane, through Upminster and the general area without this developement or any like it adding to it.
As such this development which stands to make the developer a lot of money cannot be allowed to proceed at the expense of other people quality of life and health.
Why on earth would we allow Trinity College Cambridge to profiteer from our local green belt and damage our quality of life. Scandalous and applications to build on this land should be rejected wholeheartedly by the residents of Cranham, Upminster and Havering, let’s Trinity college invest in Cambridge, they have far more green belt to damage thank you!!!!!!
Thanks for the information. It will be a real travesty if we lose this Greenbelt.
Even though we no longer live in the area, we remain passionate about retaining our green belt. This would include preserving a feature (the stables) of what was a fairly rural area in the past. It is important to retain some of our local heritage.
How come Trinity College own this piece of land?
There are houses opposite, linked presumably to farming, etc. in the past, but a precedent would be sent if any application were to be granted.
Who owns the surrounding land?
I read on the Upminster Facebook group that Trinity College also own the surrounding fields.
Can’t let this happen … this has been used for Horse’s for many years … lets not let them get there Application through …. 😡😡
I kept my horse there in the 70’s such a shame if it closes. Xx
We are losing more and more land which if built on will never be recovered. Its a crying shame. Traffic is already heavy in this area and before you know it the farm will be gone forever only to be replaced by concrete. What is going on in this country????? No more buildings PLEASE
I kept my horse there in the 70’s, was a few dozen housed there then.
Great shame if it closed.
There is hardly anywhere for horses to graze nowadays, we had our horse over there after having to move it from previous stables as that land had also been sold to developers. It’s not right soon there will be no greenery in havering.
Granting planning permission on “Green Belt” land would be a bad precedent in general and in particular for this area. Who owns the surrounding fields? Trinity College Cambridge? This could lead to further development and increased road congestion, pollution in Upminster and the surrounding area. Only 7 house could be just the start, and the rational for this development to make money for Trinity College Cambridge and the developer, is this a justifiable reason to lose a part of our “Green Belt”?
This can’t go ahead. I have my horse at this stable, we are all truely devastated by this news. I have seen the old and young cry, as this is their second home. It keeps our children off of the streets and gives them something to work towards. Many of the children are studying equestrian as part of their GCSE’s and work and support each other. The older horse owners are going to struggle to look after horses outside of the area. Why Chapman’s farm? This farm and stables is part of Upminster!! Please try to help us..
we need to keep hold of our green belt or Upminster will become a concrete jungle. We need green space to breathe
please fight this application we need to keep Upminster from becoming an inner city jungle
traffic will cause problems turning into Hall Lane. Its bad enough Old Windmill Hall site has gone, I hope the New WIndmill Hall site is safe.
We need to protect this green belt for future generations
So, so, sad that Chapmans Farm will be demolished for houses. I spent many years of my life growing up at this place with my horse. The memories that we have are ingrained in this place. Very sad news…
I am really concerned that IF planning is approved and the stables are demolished which I hope will not happen!!! Please everyone help us fight this 🙏🏻🙏🏻 Then these buildings are FULL old asbestos and this would potentially blow all over Upminster and the surrounding area.
Has this been considered???
As no planning application has been received, this scenario would not really be on the radar. When an application is lodged, then that will be the time to raise this point.
Just wanted to put ONE of my concerns out there!! .
I have heard that the have been recording the flow of traffic along Hall Lane, is this connected to the pending planning application? As I strongly believe that it is.
If so the time that this information was recorded will give a false reading as it took place the first two weeks of August- Holiday time and no schools/ colleges open surely the results will be inaccurate?
I don’t think it is, although the police undertake speed checks along Hall Lane at random times as it is prone to speeding.