Hall Lane Mini Golf – Planning permission granted (Post updated 12 July 20)

On the 9th July, Havering Council’s Strategic Planning Committee met to determine the Outline planning application for 37 properties on the Hall Lane Mini Golf.

Cranham Ward Councillors spoke against the proposal along with a representative from WS Planning Architects and Lynden Alexander. Objections made it very clear that the proposal was contrary to local, London and national policies. However, Councillors Ray Best, Timothy Ryan, Maggie Themistocli, Dilip Patel and Keith Darvill voted in favour of granting outline planning permission; Councillor Linda Hawthorn put a motion forward to refuse the motion with the support of Councillors Graham Williamson and Reg Witney.

Ward Councillors made representation to the Secretary of State and are currently waiting for the official outcome.

In 2019 in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972 122(1),(2A), Havering Council published a notice for the ‘Appropriation of land at Hall Lane, Upminster’, Upminster Mini Golf site. This would remove the site from recreational to development space but didn’t progress. Now the outline planning has been approved, an ‘Appropriation’ public notice will be expected.

This will be followed by the sale of the site to Mercury Land Holdings Ltd. who are not developers, with the expectation the land will be sold on again to developers, who may submit new plans.

We will endeavour to keep you posted on each phase of the process through the Bulletin, our website and social media.

We are sure that many of you will agree with us, that this is an appalling decision and an incredibly sad outcome for Hall Lane Mini Golf site, with a huge loss of character and ecology for the area.

Cllrs Gillian Ford, Linda Van den Hende and John Tyler

 

10 Comments
  1. I watched the meeting and was so disappointed with the outcome.
    Thank you to all of you that spoke against the proposal.

    • Thank you, on behalf of the Cranham Ward councillors.

      Personally, I found it a privilege to be able to speak on behalf of the 250 people from Cranham and Upminster (and beyond) who attended our public meeting and 800+ people who wrote to Havering Council to object to the application.

      We are just sorry that everyone’s efforts have not provided a successful outcome.

      Cllr John Tyler

  2. Is there anything that can still be done? Can it be appealed?

    • There are certain things that can be done, such as asking for a judicial review. Unfortunately, these are mostly very expensive, with no guarantee of success.

      We have appealed to the Secretary of State for Environment, to ask for his intervention. That appeal is still ongoing.

      Cllr John Tyler

  3. to a layperson the planning process appears compromised. why are mercury land holdings Ltd applying for planning permission. the chief executive of havering council is a director of mercury land holdings. seems a clear conflict of interest is it not???
    is it normal for a council authority to grant planning permission to a company effectively owned by itself ?

    i may have got the wrong end of the stick and apologize if i have

    • In circumstances like this it does seem strange that such a situation is allowed but under English planning law it is.

      Cllr John Tyler

      • Hi Counsellor John Taylor
        It is a sad day for Upminster mine golf course it to turn into a housing estate
        Like a lot of us live round here we did appeal or wrote letters but to no avail and to me the planning was granted underhanded
        What happens now with some of the Properties that have rear gates in too the park ,when I moved in over 20 years ago it was already in
        How do we get on about that

        • It is indeed a sad day.

          Regarding your gates, I would recommend that you take legal advice to establish whether you have a legal right of access. It may be worth speaking to some of your neighbours, who may already have done this.

          Cllr John Tyler

  4. thanks for the response Cllr

    i follow A Patel’s comment in hoping that there is a route to appeal. but expect that in today’s current environment where build is the strategy for recovery it might be a lost cause..

    kind regards
    dave

  5. Childhood is spent in places like this. A great shame on another poor decision. Across the country there are many derelict and empty sites to build upon yet we still have to give up a naturally pleasant small area to squeeze in more homes.

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