Awning in Havering

Havering

The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in East London, England and forms part of Outer London. The London Borough of Havering was established in 1965 by the combined former area of the Municipal Borough of Romford and Hornchurch Urban District which had been moved to Greater London from Essex by the London Government Act 1963. The name Havering is a reference towards the Royal Liberty of Havering which occupied the location for many centuries. The local authority is Havering London Borough Council.

The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main communities are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. Havering is bordered south by the London Borough of Bexley by the River Thames, towards the west by the London Borough of Redbridge and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and to the north and east by Essex. The borough is mostly characterised by suburban development with large locations of protected open space. Havering covers a total area of 43.35 square miles. There is a high ratio of area per capita as significant sections of Havering are parkland and 23 square miles (60 km2), which is more than half of the borough, is Metropolitan Green Belt protected land. Those locations of development are in depth but hardly ever intensive.

Romford's urban centre is a significant metropolitan retail and night time entertainment centre and to the south the borough extends in to the London Riverside redevelopment part of the Thames Gateway. Havering is served by the London Underground and there's an extensive network of London Bus routes.