Following the meeting on Monday 29 July 2024 with local residents, Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said:
I’d like to thank the residents of North Ockendon for a productive meeting on Monday evening. I fully appreciate their views and they will not be ignored.
We had the opportunity to discuss the Council’s position on the datacentre and ecology park, which Digital Reef are proposing and we, the Cabinet, have agreed we should explore.
As I previously mentioned, and was reiterated again at the meeting, the Council and the Local Planning Authority (LPA) are two distinct and separate entities.
As project sponsor, Digital Reef need to provide to the LPA proof to satisfy the LPA’s strict parameters for the ‘very special circumstances’ that would allow a Local Development Order to proceed. This includes, but not limited to, economic growth and data security, but cannot consider the potential income to the Council.
In terms of next steps, there is still much to do to help inform on the decision. Digital Reef are currently finalising the details of the proposal, which would be used to inform any future LDO. The LPA have commissioned the Environmental Impact Report regarding the scheme, using an independent third party (Ramboll) which will address some of the residents’ concerns around light and noise pollution, and all other potential environmental considerations.
If Members of the Strategic Planning Committee feel that the proposal has merit, we would anticipate the scheme going out to formal public consultation later in the year. This is where residents can also, formally, make their views known on the plans.
These decisions are not easy but I am not shying away from declaring my support for a scheme that could be a catalyst to deliver local growth, new businesses, future job opportunities for Havering children, as well as food security, energy security and data sovereignty for our country. Each one of the election promises we made, including protecting the green belt, were made in good faith but you elect councillors to make tough decisions for the whole borough, and to balance difficult judgements, which sometimes includes conflicting priorities.
I want to continue working with the local community and build on the progress made at Monday night’s meeting to ensure that they continue to be part of the ongoing discussions. Then, should the scheme progress, that we can work together to secure the maximum benefits for the local residents and Havering as a whole.