brentwood.gov.uk

RE: Ingatestone Nursery Housing Development

It is with deep regret that we read of the proposed size of development on the Ingatestone Nursery site, which backs on to our garden. Firstly I feel frustrated that I knew nothing of the meeting at St Johns, Mountnessing on 2nd September. We had no flyer of such a meeting and neither did two of our neighbours. One may question whether this was a deliberate act.

We appreciate that housing must be built but the number of dwellings seems unrealistic. This is a piece of green belt land regardless of the now attached label of 'brown field'. You will be aware that the building of fifty-two or so dwellings on the old Heybridge Hotel site car-park resulted in a crammed development where parking now spills constantly on to Roman Road as the residents have no room to park near their properties, in fact you can hardly drive along the roads on that estate.

The nursery was a thriving concern and all residents are fully aware that it has been deliberately run-down to appear that it is a loss making business. The building of this number of properties on such fields and gardens seem unnecessarily large in proportion to the current number of houses in our road. Will there be flats that will spoil the semi- rural aspect of the area? Will they overlook our currently un-overlooked gardens? Who cares?

The busy A12 and the London to Norwich train line creates two boundaries and the third is the Civic Amenities Site! Additional car traffic created through the building of that number of houses will undoubtedly increase noise and pollution. We have a current serious problem with surface water in Burnthouse Lane and this can only be exacerbated by further concrete and road surfaces. Exiting onto the A12 slip road may also be a severe problem.

A friend of mine who attended the meeting on 2nd September reported that one Brentwood Council Official stated that the development would go ahead regardless of any objections; this has obviously made people very frustrated and angry. It is interesting that such proposal developments never take place in Mill Green or such areas.

Our concerns are density, height, pollution, noise and flooding. Fundamentally our greatest objection is the taking of green belt land to build housing. Green belt is a highly regarded barrier between development and space. We look forward to hearing from your offices.

Yours faithfully