Julia Lopez MP is campaigning with local Conservative activists to stop Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, selling Hornchurch Police Station, and is calling on residents to back a local petition opposing his plan.
With the Government successful meeting its manifesto commitment to recruit 20,000 additional police officers in England and Wales, over 350 officers have been added to the area’s Command Unit. However, in order for those officers to be at their most effective, they need a local base from which they can work and start their shifts closer to the community that they serve.
Mayor Khan revealed his intention to sell Hornchurch Police Station in 2017. Hornchurch & Upminster MP, Mrs Lopez, worked with local campaigners at the time to prevent the loss of this critical policing base, and with the support of hundreds of residents, secured for Havering Council an option to purchase the station from the Metropolitan Police and lease some of the site back to them, guaranteeing a police presence in the area.
Since then, progress on implementing this deal has stalled. Mrs Lopez has repeatedly lobbied the Mayor to review his plans but last autumn, he confirmed that he still wants to sell despite new officers needing a base from which to boost neighbourhood policing.
Mrs Lopez believes that the Mayor must think again and has lobbied to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to ask him to overturn the decision to sell Hornchurch Police Station. Sir Mark Rowley has since confirmed to Havering’s London Assembly Member, Cllr Keith Prince AM, that the sale of Hornchurch is on hold while he reviews the Met’s wider estate strategy.
The local MP and Assembly Member now believe that a clear show of public support will help make the case to keep Hornchurch Police Station in the Met’s hands, and the Hornchurch & Upminster Conservative Association have started a petition so that residents can make their voice heard.
Campaign updates
November 2023 - Julia Lopez MP writes to Mayor of London and seeks update from Met Commissioner on Estate Strategy Review
June 2023 – Dedicated Emergency Response Team Patrols in Hornchurch announced
April 2023 – Julia meets with Met Commissioner to discuss campaign and present petition
March 2023 – Julia Lobbies Met Commissioner for more police resources
February 2023 – Julia Lopez MP calls for more police resources in Hornchurch following spate of knife crime
January 2023 – Met Commissioner announces sale of Hornchurch Station has been put on hold while Met’s Estate Strategy is reviewed
December 2022 – Julia asks Met Commissioner to retain Hornchurch Police Station
Autumn 2022 – Mayor confirms intention to sell Hornchurch Police Station
Summer 2022 – Julia asks Mayor to review the sale of Hornchurch Police Station
