This neighbourhood is comprised of Romford, Collier Wood and Chase Cross, and is located in the London Borough of Havering. The area is surrounded by large areas of open green space, and its residential roads are lined with handsome post-war family homes, many of which have gardens and driveways. Romford is the political and administrative headquarters of Havering and a large town with a distinct character. Transport in Romford is much more accessible when compared with other areas of Essex. For example, Romford has 3 individual rail stations and the A12 passes through the locality. Towards the north of the neighbourhood one finds the small high street, with rows of quaint local shops, convenient supermarkets, and the community favourite, The Colley Rowe Inn.

Before Romford became its own independent area, it used to come under the jurisdiction of Hornchurch. It became politically independent from Hornchurch in the 1500s and religiously independent in the 1800s. Chase Cross developed as part of a large housing estate that was built as part of the interwar housing expansion. In 1965 Romford Council and the district of Hornchurch merged to form a new local authority which is still in place today.

The wealth of Romford gradually began to grow which led to the expansion of shopping in Romford Town Centre, giving South Street the nickname, ‘The Golden Mile’.

The nearby town of Collier Row derives its name from local wood colliers who made a living from the Great Essex Woodland nearby.

The A12 is often subject to major delays and frequent traffic accidents, which can prove very inconvenient especially when local public transport is scarce. It can also bother local residents with noise and air pollution, especially those who live very close to the road.

The River Rom, like many of Greater London’s water bodies, has suffered from neglect and pollution. The boroughs of Havering and Barking and Dagenham, as well as local environmentally-driven non-profit organisations, have been working together to restore the river. A number of wetland and floodplain sites have been restored and enhanced through these efforts.

Havering Borough Council made the difficult decision in Fall 2022 to suggest a budget that includes services closing, significant changes in other services and a Council Tax increase of 60p per week for a Band D property in the borough, seeing as they are facing a £70 million budget cut over the next 4 years.