brentwood.gov.uk

Background - We moved into Shenfield from Havering 25 years ago as it offered a mainly unspoilt semi-rural environment that was conducive to bringing up a family. Thankfully it has remained mostly the same until recent years when property demolitions and major re-configurations were granted. Unfortunately this trend has become the norm and only benefits the property speculators.

Comments outlining objections (to A1023 related developments site ref 034, 087,158 235, 263 & 276)

Look and Feel of Shenfield - (This is the main point) - Despite the advent of Crossrail and on-going property developments, this area still retains some of its original character. I would suggest that people live here for this reason and it is not necessarily because they want estate style housing. By opening it up to the scale of the development outlined, you are transforming it into another overspill town devoid of character

Highways & Transportation - The existing A1023 artery route into Brentwood, at times, cannot support the volume of traffic that uses it. At certain times e.g. start and end of school day, incidents on A12, even trying to turn into this road from the southern side is difficult and hazardous. The road in its current configuration could not sustain higher traffic volumes especially at peak times.

Supporting Retail units - Shenfield and Hutton has a small number of food retailers. Whilst there are a handful of remaining independents, the likes of Tesco and Co-op provide metro type stores that are essential for the local community, especially for those who are unable to travel to the larger supermarkets. The plan makes no mention of any provision for additional food retailers and therefore with the increased numbers of people going to Shenfield to shop, where is the provision for additional parking?

Surface water and potential flooding

The reoccurring drainage issue on the A1023 near Officers Meadow has never been attended to. Concreting over more land will just exacerbate the problem not only on the A1023 but also to other susceptible areas. This doesn't seem to have been addressed in the plan.


Healthcare

At the Doctors surgery in Mount Avenue, immediate appointments are hard to come by. What provision is being made to increase capacity at local surgeries.

Seniors Accommodation - By granting permission over the past few years to demolish or re-configure bungalows the supply of suitable housing stock for seniors has been diminished. Therefore there would be little need for Seniors accommodation if more thought had been given to the demographic of Shenfield where bungalows provided suitable housing.


In Summary

A total of 700 odd dwellings being built on greenfield sites represents a significant impact on the existing residents. I doubt that the dwellings will be affordable and therefore will mostly be an attraction to the same type of speculator who has already exploited older properties in Shenfield by demolishing or reconfiguring. So the sad fact is that renting opportunities will probably be the norm. It could be argued that this solves the housing problem but it is just kicking the can further down the road at the expense of people already living in the area and those who will pay inflated rents. Yes something needs to be done about the housing problem but not on the scale that the plan sets out and by not by concreting over greenfield areas that are so close to an existing residential area.

We moved to Shenfield as it was not an overspill town and had genuine rural characteristics. Don't spoil it.