Comment
Draft Local Plan
Representation ID: 16054
Received: 11/05/2016
Respondent: Essex County Council
Sites: 020,021,152 and 200.
Secondary School Capacity - There is no secondary school located within safe walking distance of West Horndon/ Dunton. New housing development in this area would require all secondary aged pupils to be transported to existing schools located in Brentwood/ Shenfield, until such time as a new secondary school was opened on the development. If no new secondary school was opened on this development ECC would face significant ongoing home-to-school transport costs. Whilst there are secondary schools in Basildon that are geographically closer to West Horndon/ Dunton than those located in Brentwood any surplus places at these schools are likely to be utilised by pupils residing in Basildon.
Concerned the description of Dunton Hills Garden Village as a 'new self-sustaining community' implies that the scale of development allows the necessary critical mass to provide for local services and infrastructure', this may not prove true in respect of the provision of a new secondary school to serve this development. A joint or linked development with Basildon Borough Council in this area would provide the critical mass of pupils required to sustain a new secondary school in this area.
See attached