brentwood.gov.uk

I read with trepidation the Draft plan - partly because of content and partly because of the length. The sceptic in me wonders if perhaps the length of the report was actually designed to elicit a minimal response as it could easily have been condensed.

A key fact that the entire report seems to miss is that the town centre is at capacity. We have totally insufficient infracture to support the residents we have; never mind the many additions that are being proposed. Doctors surgeries and hospitals cannot deal with the patient numbers (you mention the residents are getting older - surely this will just put more stress on an overburdened system). The rail network is dangerously overcrowded at peak times. The quality of schooling suffering. The roads in chaos. If the question is " are the plans capable of being accommodated" the simple answer is "no".

In the 20 + years I have lived in Brentwood I have seen it deteriorate more and more. Rather than modelling the town on the local community feel of Ingatestone and Shenfield we seem to be mirroring Romford/Croydon. I have never known people in an affluent area be so hell bent on cheapening it! You mention residents "quality of life" being important to the plan but I have grave concerns that this is indeed the case - already the influx has lead to a feeling of less safe streets and general uneasiness in the town - those of us living in the area have paid our Council tax for many years but life is getting progressively worse in the borough.

Would it not be possible to concentrate on expansion in areas that can cope and perhaps even add schools and doctors surgeries to the plans being proposed??!!

Two particular sights you state for development are absurd (1) Westbury Road is already a danger - insufficient parking borough wide leads to people (including the disabled and those with pushchairs) walking in the road facing dangerously fast traffic. How could ANYONE think that more housing and less parking would help? (2) Honeypot Lane - have you tried to pass through there at any time of day?! How can potentially 500+ of extra residents fit into the area??


When your report mentions attracting business to the area I can only assume you mean yet more fast food outlets and bars - the terms "quality independent" and "wide range" really do not apply in Brentwood. Why would any firm that plans to do anything other than pay minimum wage, overburden a location already struggling with its policing and refuse collection, come to the area. If correctly modelled the transport links could suggest Brentwood as a possible hub for business in financial services and other mediums but the tired appearance, transport problems and simply overcrowding would surely put any sensible firm off. As would no doubt 84 pitches for travellers (surely if they need a pitch they aren't infact "travelling"?)

I would hope that any business you may manage to attract might be steered in the direction of the empty spaces in our high street but the plan seems keen to build more regardless of what stands empty.

While I could not find it specifically addressed in the plan I would be interested to learn the plans for Street lighting in Brentwood. Particularly given that the ordinary person struggles though pitch black roads and pavements while the police station's "stadium lighting" blinds residents of my road.



I apologise that this response is, in all, pretty negative. It is such a shame that a place as lovely as Brentwood used to be is where it is today. I can only hope that some of my concerns, shared as they are with many, can be addressed and that, one day, we are again an area I would be proud to live in.