brentwood.gov.uk

Please see attached representation regarding the Brentwood Borough Council Local Plan Consultation - Potential Main Modifications.
The document contains 2 representations. Regards, John Hughes
MM5 - This modification is unsound as some of the categorisations are clearly wrong.
Blackmore has been included as Settlement Hierarchy 3. Although it has a small primary school (which is full) there are no health facilities – the nearest doctor surgery is 2 miles away.
There is a very limited bus service. Other villages in hierarchy 3 have a parade of shops and significantly higher dwellings. Many also have small industrial areas nearby. Blackmore only has one shop.
Blackmore needs to be re-classified as Settlement Hierarchy 4.
It should be fully assessed for suitability and sustainability specifically regarding the infrastructure required to support any new development.
MM78 - The safeguard that where a “development may have the potential to impact on the CDA in respect of surface water flooding. As a result of this, the site will require an individually designed mitigation scheme to address this issue” has been removed.

Blackmore has regularly suffered from flooding issues. These have gradually worsened over the past few years as a result of 1,global warming and 2, the reduction of grass / garden areas due to a combination of new housing, small properties being knocked down and replaced by much bigger properties, home extensions and paving driveways etc. The knock on effect of these are that there is more water around and that water has less area to soak away in. Building further new homes in the village uphill of the centre will inevitably cause more and worse flooding in the centre of the village unless a serious mitigation scheme is investigated and put in place.
Re-instate the requirement for an individually designed mitigation scheme to address flooding issues. Alternately scrap the proposed development in Blackmore completely.