Object

Brentwood Local Plan 2016 - 2033 (Pre-Submission, Regulation 19)

Representation ID: 25661

Received: 12/03/2019

Respondent: Mr Gavin Hennessy

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Representation Summary:

Site needs to be removed from the plan due to traffic and safety concerns. The traffic assessment does not consider the current traffic levels during school times, nor does it consider the increase in traffic and pollution. No consideration has been given to the impact of 1,000 new homes in Shenfield and the impact of the Elizabeth Line. The site does not meet relevant sustainability requirements notably access, transport network, mitigation of local services and unacceptable effect on health due to increased pollution. Planning applications were previously refused due to the site being valuable open space. There is no additional provision for increased education and health services.

Change suggested by respondent:

The Land at Priests Lane should be removed from the Local Development Plan.

Full text:

Unsound. The evidence base is flawed: !> The transport assessment is inaccurate as it has excluded traffic along Priests Lane and was not taken at a time which excluded a large proportion of school traffic despite Council assurance that traffic assessment would be done for Priests Lane. 2. The Transport assessment does not account for the increased usage of Priests Lane from the proposed development of 1,000 houses in Shenfield travelling to the A127 nor does it account for the impact of the Elizabeth Line. 3. The plan fails to address safety of residents: the technical submission of residents that new road accesses along Priests Lane are hazardous have not been addressed nor concerns that the road design is dangerous for increased traffic movements. 4. The site does not meet relevant sustainability requirements notably access, transport network, mitigation of local services and unacceptable effect on health due to increased pollution. 5.The Priests Lane sites have been rejected previously only because the land was deemed a valuable open space. 6. No account has been made of the increased pollution along Middleton Hall Lane and Priests Lane, the junction of which is a pollution hotspot. The lane was never meant to be a main distributary road which it has now become. Residents have pointed out that as such it does not comply with the Essex design guide with respect to road and pavement width. 7. NPPF Compliant: Local plans should address not only housing but traffic concerns, healthcare and education needs. The sustainability review refers to traffic as a concern but no mitigation options have been identified. 8. No specific or robust argument has been made that a viable access point is possible. 9. When considered against reasonable alternative these sites can be deemed justified and there is nowhere in the plan which allows for the enhancement of infrastructure as a result of development. 10. There is no additional provision for increased education and health needs, the expansion of Hogarth School is to meet current demands and there is already a low level of GP'spen head. Schools further afield which may have space will require a car journey to attend exacerbating the already dine traffic situation.

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