brentwood.gov.uk

Further to the joint consultation with Basildon last year, I wish to object and disagree with the proposals on the following basis:

1. THE SIZE OF THE PROPOSAL

The impact of a potential 20,000 new residents and 12,000 cars on the local community will be devastating. The A127 is at a standstill in rush hour and the trains are packed full.

I question the need for the amount of houses that you state in the local plan, the houses will be particularly marketed by developers in London and attract an enormous influx of people who will use Basildon facilities but pay council tax to Brentwood.

In your paragraph 7.10 you state that ...."Land around West Horndon village remains a reasonable alternative because it can provide for similar development numbers towards local needs. However, it has not been selected as a preferred site in this Draft Plan owing to the impacts on the existing village, which would not be consistent with the emerging spatial strategy. It has also been considered that proposed redevelopment within West Horndon village will bring forward significant residential development, altering the character of the village but utilising brownfield land. Further development of Green Belt surrounding West Horndon is deemed disproportionate when considering the size of the existing village and how this fits with the spatial strategy for our Borough of villages."

I would very much like an explanation as to how Brentwood council are prepared to consider the Green belt surrounding West Horndon , but are in no way considering the larger impact on the tiny rural village of Dunton. By building right up to the Basildon border it leaves Basildon with no Green Belt but fulfills the social housing responsibility and traveller quota of Brentwood Council with little impact on the rest of Brentwood. The burden and mental anguish of seeing our community change beyond recognition remains purely with West Basildon residents in Langdon Hills and Dunton.

2. SEVERE LACK OF SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE - Partiularly secondary schools


Basildon hospital, district nurses, maternity services and medical centres cannot cope with the medical needs of so many individuals.

Primary schools are oversubscribed, and secondary school provision has been an issue for years. There have been reducing child numbers in the Brentwood area, surely building 'pockets of houses' closer to these would make more sense, particularly with the Free schools that have opened/ are opening .

The roads are unbearable as it is around the Basildon District- Brentwood school buses are regularly late and delayed due to the volume of traffic.

3. LOSS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND, GREEN BELT SPACE AND RISK TO LOCAL WILDLIFE

There will be significant impact on our local wildlife and quality of life, especially from increased pollution. I question and object to the comments in paragraph 6. ..
'Although the site lies within Green Belt, development here can contribute to Green Belt purposes, such as restricting urban sprawl'.

Quite how this can be stated is beyond belief when your proposal for a Dunton Garden village will obliterate the green belt. Is this the answer - restrict further urban sprawl by building on the land that separates the villages.

4. ACCESS TO NEW DEVELOPMENT

If this preposterous and crude development goes ahead, access must be from the A128 roundabout to avoid negative impact in Langdon Hills.

5. ADDITIONAL TRAVELLER AND GIPSY SITE

It feels unjustified to dump Brentwood's traveller pitch responsibility on the border of Basildon. We would be sandwiched between 2 large traveller sites within 5 miles of each other along the A127.
In light of the recent Dale Farm debarcle, I find it extremely naïve to suggest that the provision of Traveller and Gipsy sites could be 'cohesive to the community' as stated in the Dunton garden suburb consultation. As mentioned by one of your councilors, this plan protects the villages of Brentwood and has little impact on Brentwood infrastructure.