When residents of northeast London learned that two massive motorway service stations could soon rise on protected Green Belt land between M25 junctions 27 and 28, they didn’t just protest—they mobilized. The M25 (Northeast) Residents Association (M25NERA) launched its campaign in September 2025 after Moto Hospitality Limited revealed plans to build twin service areas on the old Priors Golf Course near Navestock and part of Hill Farm north of Chequers Road. Together, the developments would cover an area equivalent to Lakeside Shopping Centre, carving through the narrowest remaining Green Belt corridor that has held back London’s sprawl for seven decades.
The Last Green Corridor
The stretch of land between junctions 27 and 28 isn’t just open space—it’s the final physical barrier preventing Havering and Brentwood from merging into one endless urban zone. Since the 1944 Greater London Plan, this corridor has been legally protected, a deliberate buffer against unchecked expansion. Now, Moto’s proposals threaten to erase it. The sites aren’t just any patches of grass; they’re habitats for deer, badgers, foxes, and over 80 bird species. Harold Hill Deer Aid submitted formal objections in October 2024, warning of irreversible ecological damage. "It’s not just trees being cut down," said one volunteer. "It’s the last living connection between communities that have lived side-by-side for generations without becoming one concrete mass."
Contradictions in Planning
The irony isn’t lost on locals. Just last year, Havering Borough Council designated five new village greens and planned five more for 2025—efforts to enhance local green space. Yet, at the same time, the council’s Strategic Planning Committee is set to review Moto’s application, with a decision expected by early 2026. "We’re planting hedgerows in one part of the borough and bulldozing wildlife corridors in another," said Linda Torres, a Navestock resident and M25NERA organizer. "It’s like putting a band-aid on a severed artery."
Even National Highways, the government agency overseeing the M25, has reportedly distanced itself from Moto’s claims of "close partnership." Documents obtained under FOI requests show National Highways flagged concerns over traffic congestion, lighting pollution, and the precedent this sets for future developments along the motorway. Yet Moto continues to pitch the projects as "necessary infrastructure" to meet rising demand from motorists.
What’s at Stake Beyond Wildlife
For residents, this isn’t just about deer or birds. It’s about mental health, air quality, and the psychological safety of living near nature. Studies from the University of Essex show that proximity to green space reduces stress levels by up to 30%. The M25 corridor’s green belt has long served as a quiet refuge for people commuting into London. "I walk my dog here every morning," said retired teacher Alan Finch. "I hear birds, not engines. If they build these stations, that silence dies."
And it’s not the first time this corridor has been targeted. In 2023, a proposed £5.3 billion data centre in North Ockendon sparked similar outrage. That project was eventually scaled back—but not before it sent a chilling message: the Green Belt is being treated like a buffet, not a fortress. "We’re being asked to accept piecemeal destruction," said M25NERA’s legal advisor. "One development here, another there. Soon, there’s nothing left to protect."
MP Sunny Brar Under Pressure
Residents are turning to their Member of Parliament, Sunny Brar, to intervene. They’ve organized petitions with over 12,000 signatures, held public forums, and even sent handwritten letters from schoolchildren. "How much more Green Belt will be lost?" is their central question—and it’s one Brar has yet to answer publicly. Campaigners want him to demand a full environmental impact assessment, block the application before it reaches committee, and publicly oppose any development that severs the last strategic gap.
What Happens Next?
The Havering Borough Council’s planning committee will hear formal submissions by January 2026. If approved, construction could begin as early as late 2027. But momentum is building. A coalition of environmental groups—including the Woodland Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England—is preparing legal challenges. Meanwhile, M25NERA has released an interactive map on www.m25nomoremsas.org showing exactly where each service station would sit, down to the tree line. The public can now see, in vivid detail, how these developments would slice through the landscape.
Why This Matters Beyond Havering
This fight isn’t just about one stretch of land. It’s a test case for the future of the entire Green Belt. If developers can win approval to build on this narrow, strategically vital corridor, what’s to stop them from targeting other gaps—along the M4, M6, or M1? The Green Belt was never meant to be a suggestion. It was a promise. And now, that promise is on the line.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big are the proposed service stations?
The two proposed motorway service areas would cover approximately 120 acres combined—roughly the same size as Lakeside Shopping Centre. One site sits on the former Priors Golf Course near Navestock, the other on Hill Farm north of Chequers Road. Each would include fuel stations, restaurants, retail outlets, and large parking lots, with lighting and noise levels significantly higher than existing service areas.
Why is this Green Belt corridor so important?
This narrow strip—less than one mile wide—is the last remaining physical separation between Havering and Brentwood. Since the 1944 Greater London Plan, it has prevented urban sprawl from merging these areas into one continuous built-up zone. Destroying it would erase a critical ecological and planning buffer that has protected over 70 years of deliberate land-use policy.
What’s the role of National Highways in this?
Despite Moto’s claims of working in "close partnership," National Highways has privately raised objections to the plans, citing traffic congestion, light pollution, and the precedent of commercial development along the M25. Internal documents show they’ve urged Havering Council to reject the proposals, but have not publicly opposed them—leaving residents frustrated and feeling abandoned by the very agency meant to manage the motorway.
Has this area faced other development threats?
Yes. In 2023, a proposed £5.3 billion data centre in North Ockendon sparked national attention for its potential to destroy Green Belt land. That project was later scaled back after public pressure, but it set a dangerous precedent. Residents argue that Moto’s proposal is part of a pattern—where commercial interests chip away at protected land one application at a time, eroding the Green Belt’s integrity.
What can residents do to stop this?
Residents can submit formal objections to Havering Borough Council before the January 2026 hearing, attend public consultations, and pressure MP Sunny Brar to use his parliamentary voice to demand a full environmental review. M25NERA has also launched a legal fund to support potential judicial review if the application is approved. Public pressure remains the most powerful tool.
When will a final decision be made?
Havering Borough Council’s Strategic Planning Committee is scheduled to review the application in early 2026, with a formal decision expected by March 2026. If approved, Moto could begin construction as early as late 2027, making immediate public engagement critical to altering the outcome.