Object
Draft Local Plan
Representation ID: 14379
Received: 14/04/2016
Respondent: Thurrock Borough Council
Thurrock Council is very concerned about the proposed Dunton Hills Garden Village concept and has fundamental objections on grounds of:
Lack of Technical Evidence
The concept of the Garden Village, a convincing case for a strategic development at this location has not been made and notes that West Horndon has capacity and infrastructure as a reasonable alternative.
Masterplan approach: more evidence should be provided on the suitability of the project as part of the local plan process. Further information on viability; deliverability and phasing; partnership working with other local authorities and developers; infrastructure and public expenditure; road traffic and transport evidence (and mitigation proposals), Green Travel Route; design and layout; is needed.
Green Belt detrimental impacts, significant loss to the openness and strategic function, coalescence, openness.
Detrimental impact ton the landscape at this location, including to settings of historical assets and to existing development.
Unknown impact on Thurrock housing market
SA of Dunton should have a reduced score to reflect the distance that Dunton HGV is from main centres, services and other residents in Brentwood.
Assessment of Potential sites in the Green Belt - Working Draft noted to be site specific and not a Green Belt review.
See attached and summary below:
Summary
It is considered that Brentwood Council has not thoroughly tested all the available options to accommodate the housing requirement within Brentwood. The National Planning Policy Guidance and earlier advice from the Planning Advisory Service recommend that local authorities should be required to thoroughly test all reasonable options before requiring other authorities to accommodate some of their need.
Thurrock Council at this stage does not consider that all reasonable options to accommodate Brentwood's dwelling requirement within Brentwood have been fully examined by the Council and tested in accordance with government policy and guidance. Therefore the approach to preparation of the local plan is unsound.
Thurrock Council requests that more detail is provided as to how such Green Belt release is to be undertaken and how alternative locations have been considered before a further draft Local Plan consultation. It is considered the role and development of the A12 corridor and in particular Brentwood/Shenfield Broad Area should be thoroughly investigated and its potential role to accommodate further growth over the period of the local plan and beyond. The implications of the potential to accommodate more growth and associated infrastructure requirements need to be considered with some weight as a way of meeting the housing requirement currently identified in the Brentwood Local Plan Growth Options and supporting evidence.
Thurrock Council has a fundamental objection to a strategic Green Belt release at Dunton Hill Garden Village or at West Horndon due to the impact on the Green Belt. In addition limited new or updated evidence has been made available to demonstrate the deliverability and viability of such schemes.
Thurrock Council has also highlighted various aspects of concern with the evidence base in connection with the preparation of the draft local Plan.
Thurrock Council wished to clarify that its objections to the earlier consultations to the Brentwood Local Plan and Dunton Garden Suburb stage still stand. Due to the issues highlighted in this response and to the earlier documents there are several fundamental concerns to the strategy approach and detail development proposals it is considered that Brentwood Council needs to carefully consider how it proceeds with the preparation of the Local Plan and the timetable for its production.
Thurrock Council request to be kept informed of the preparation and publication of the Brentwood Local Plan and technical evidence base as part of the Duty to cooperate process.