Mega Church Appeal Rejected

Hornchurch and Rainham MP James Brokenshire has said that this morning's decision by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to turn down the appeal for what would have been the largest church in the country is 'the right outcome for Rainham'. The Kingsway International Christian Centre had sought to overturn the ruling by Havering Council and the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation to refuse planning permission for an 8,000 seat auditorium and place of worship at the Beam Reach 5 Business Park in Rainham.

The Secretary of State's decision comes after a public inquiry earlier this year at which James Brokenshire and other local campaigners gave evidence as to why local transport links would not support such a facility and why the land should be kept for industry and job creation.

Commenting James Brokenshire said:

"The overwhelming evidence at the public inquiry was that this was the wrong development in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Secretary of State's decision has confirmed this. Beam Reach is intended for economic regeneration and job creation and the KICC application simply didn't meet these requirements. With poor local public transport and the prospect of thousands attending the site, their plan just didn't stack up.

"This is the right outcome for Rainham and we now need to get on with fulfilling the vision of economic regeneration for the area. That said, I do have a lot of sympathy with KICC having lost their previous site because of the Olympics. I wish them well in securing a new long term base to meet the needs of their growing congregation"

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