brentwood.gov.uk

Object

Representation ID: 1534

Received: 01/10/2013

Respondent: D. Lessons

1.The Preferred Options document, proposes major development of 1500 houses on both brown sites and Metropolitan Green Belt land (representing 43% of the entire Brentwood allocation) to be sited at one end of a tiny community. The scale of 1500 homes, would, in effect, create a saddle development, splitting the village in two and creating an "old" and "new" West Horndon; thus, this will not "strengthen the village centre" (Ch 2, S1, para (b);

2.The development would seriously damage the nature of the current "settlement identity" (NPPF, para 182/ 17). The proposal would also undermine the current "settlement hierarchy and role of key settlements" (Policy CP2).

3.That scoping plan seems to have been accepted at face value, on what appeared to be feasible on paper, with no questioning or testing of the proposals.

4.While the Plan makes reference to infrastructure, there is no detail of this only that "an Infrastructure Delivery Plan is forthcoming", and the council seems to have no idea of the scale of the infrastructure needed or the costs of such development.

5.The Environment Agency's website shows that West Horndon (as well as the neighbouring village of Bulphan), is in a flood plain, at constant risk of flooding. This is contrary to DM35.

6.The proposals do not seem to have investigated the current capacity problems with the A127, and traffic from West Horndon trying to access both the A127 and A128 out of the village.

7.Green Belt land protects the village from even more severe flooding. In fact, it is possible that the Green Belt around West Horndon, along the A127 and beneath the hills of Thorndon Country Park, should be classified as "safeguarded land" (NPPF 85) to prevent flooding to the village and the A127. The plan seems to contradict the NPPF on gb policy

8.Impact on the countryside and setting of the village. Such a large development on the edge of the village, and on a large tract of Metropolitan Green Belt, will create a serious loss of large expense of open countryside, destroying the open setting of the village and its rural character

9.Loss of employment land. Removal of employment opportunities within walking distance may have a serious impact on those employees without access to independent transport.