It was three years ago now that I first visited the old Suttons House, part of the former St George’s Hospital site in Hornchurch that had lain empty since its closure in 2012. At that time, the building had been earmarked by local volunteers and history enthusiasts from the Hornchurch Aerodrome Historical Trust as a potential site for a new RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre to mark the incredible contribution the area’s airbase made to our war effort, particularly during the Battle of Britain.
When I visited Suttons House in September 2018 with the Trust, you could still see the old medical rooms and the building clearly needed a lot of work. So it is with great pleasure that this month, following years of hard graft by the team behind the RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre, it will officially open as a tremendous local asset and tribute to all who served. By the time this column is published, I will have attended the Formal Opening Ceremony, which includes - weather permitting - a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. I hope as many residents as possible are able to see these incredible old aircraft, which are always a very moving sight.
Alongside the new Heritage Centre and homes on that same site, as we look to the autumn, I am anticipating the business case for the new St George’s NHS Hub being published. I have written a supporting letter to the new Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, reiterating the vital need for this health centre and to ensure that it remains a priority for the Health Department as we emerge from the pandemic. Improving care locally has always been a priority for me and it is increasingly vital as we now look to rebuild and tackle the significant health challenges that have been exacerbated by covid.
Last month I was able to catch up with our Borough Police Commander, Stephen Clayman, to get the latest picture on community safety and raise any constituency concerns. As part of our efforts to boost police numbers, I was very pleased to learn that there has been an uplift to the Borough Command Unit’s response and investigation support teams with 69 additional posts. We also discussed recent street crimes in Hornchurch, including a mugging of a young teenager, to seek assurances that this does not seem to be part of any emerging pattern.
Residents have been in touch with me after a planning application was made to build 87 new homes on Bryant Avenue at the Gallows Corner Tesco site. I will be compiling constituents’ concerns and comments to submit to the Council’s planning committee about the proposal. I have my own concerns about any impact from this development on the viability of plans to replace the ageing flyover at Gallows Corner. I recently met Transport for London (TfL) who have been looking at a number of different design options. Next spring, they will be submitting their full business case to the Department for Transport to unlock the central government funding I secured a few years ago.
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