Essex Pub Faces Demolition for 140 New Homes Development

Hey, a pub in Essex might disappear because they want to build 140 homes there instead. It is in Havering, and people don’t want too many flats. Folks also don’t want to lose their local pub.

They might demolish The Alderman pub, which is on Chippenham Road, to build 138 homes there. They first planned this back in August 2023, but the pub is still open now.

The new homes are part of Havering’s plan to improve the town and add housing. Residents say losing The Alderman hurts the community and the council got 14 complaints from locals.

People say the pub is a “vital” place that helps the elderly and lonely and about 100 people visit each week. People fear losing a piece of local history because the pub is named after A.J. Dyer, who was important in Harold Hill’s pub history.

The council accepts it has social and money value, but says its value is hard to prove. A council officer thinks keeping it hurts progress, as the council wants to build needed, cheaper homes, which they think that matters more.

All 138 flats will be cheap housing which includes social rent and shared ownership. Most flats will have two bedrooms for four people; there will be 32 smaller one-bedroom flats and nine bigger, three-bedroom flats. 22 smaller flats are for people leaving care.

Havering really needs more houses and they spent too much money last year, and now need to borrow money. The council also plans to fix up Romford by building 1,000 cheap homes in a new place called Bridge Close.