The Mayor of London has been called on to review his original decision to sell Hornchurch police station as debate continues over its future.

The saga began in 2017 when proposals were put forward by the Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime (MOPAC) to dispose of the station. 

Following a judicial review, Havering Council was given approval in July 2018 to buy the station and lease it back to MOPAC.

But this purchase stalled in 2019 when the government announced aims to recruit 20,000 more officers nationally, with MOPAC saying it wanted to assess the impact this would have. 

Last year, the Recorder was told by both MOPAC and Havering Council that discussions remained ongoing regarding the potential purchase of the station.

Julia Lopez, Conservative MP for Hornchurch and Upminster, has now written to the new Met Police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, and publicly called for it to be retained. 

In her letter, she said the nature of crime in Havering is changing, mentioning in particular how the borough has the highest growth in knife crime in London. 

Ms Lopez added “it is clear that additional resourcing is required to tackle this and the rising fear of crime it has generated”, and requested the decision to sell the station be reviewed. 

In addition to a statement on her website calling on Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to revisit his original decision to sell, Ms Lopez has also set up a petition to try and rally support behind her campaign. 

A Havering Council spokesperson said: “The council’s aim has always been to stop the closure of the police station and to ensure an ongoing police presence for Hornchurch and the south of the borough.” 

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A MOPAC spokesperson added the sale of the station is currently "on hold while the new commissioner considers the impacts of his proposals for reform and improvement on the estate.

"If the site remains surplus the sale to LB Havering is expected to remain the way forward.” 

Cllr Keith Prince (Con, Squirrels Heath), who is also the London Assembly Member for Havering and Redbridge, is among those to have endorsed Ms Lopez’s campaign. 

To view the petition, visit the Hornchurch and Upminster Conservatives website here: https://www.hornchurchandupminsterconservatives.com/news/stop-mayor-khans-hornchurch-police-station-sale