It is 18 miles (29 km) east-northeast of Central London and consists of a dispersed settlement within the Metropolitan Green Belt.

Purfleet Urban District Council took legal action in an attempt to revert to the earlier scheme, ultimately taking the case to the House of Lords without success.

North Ockendon was still rural at the time of its inclusion in the Hornchurch Urban District, but it was anticipated suburban house building would soon encroach on the parish.

The creation of the Metropolitan Green Belt meant the limit of London's urban sprawl stopped just short of the parish boundary, and North Ockendon remained rural.

The transfer of North Ockendon from London to Essex was strongly opposed, with Nicholas Bonsor MP stating that his constituents agreed it had "more affinity with Havering than with Thurrock".

North Ockendon is the location of Stubbers, a former stately home which was demolished in 1955, the grounds of which are now used as an activity centre.

[8] To the east is a small area of fenland, which extends into Bulphan and the rest is clays and Thames alluvials.