brentwood.gov.uk

Major Development West Horndon
The preferred Options Document published by The Borough Council, propose a massive development of the local village, an increase we are told of some 43% of the requirement for the whole of Brentwood!!
If such a plan takes place it will obviously alter 'The Village' beyond recall, its status as a village Will be gone, it would in all probability make it a small unattractive town similar to others that litter the Essex landscape. All that is shown is a shaded area of the proposed site, with the comment that plans of the infrastructure are forthcoming.
So resident are expected to come up with an opinion upon a proposal of an extra 1500 houses and some Traveller sites (how many, how knows?), with nothing as yet about the infrastructure to support this new community.
The Local Planning Authority it would seem have not done their homework upon this matter, because certain factors are apparant event to a layman such as myself which would guide one to the opinion that the plan has been hastily put together with absolutely no consideration for its obvious flaws Some examples are listed below.
1. It is a well established/published fact that West Horndon and Bulphan are at risk of flooding,
As previous history shows. Even last Christmas, Cadogan, Thorndon Ave and part of Childerditch were flooded, there was even flood water cascading across the A127 near the Half Way House - the last event happens almost annually. If your local authority have no evidence of this perhaps they should look in the local papers where it generally featured. As the whole area is upon a downhill slope from Brentwood etc, its is hardly surprising that there is a lot of flooding in the area. Another visual annual site of flooding is Childerditch and onward to Dunnings Lane which necessitates frantic digging of ditches and road repairs to allow the Buses through. All this notwithstanding the excessive flood water that is being passed onto Bulphan. It could be that they may take exception to this new development which would almost certainly make their village even damper that it is a present, with the likely hood of higher flood insurance to follow.
With regard to the drains/sewage etc, within the last year my immediate neighbor/the lady across the road and myself, plus a least a couple of other people in our road, have been faced with the unedifying results of blocked drains. There was also a lady (at a meeting) from another part of the village who had a similar problem (which our local councilor was going to sort out.)
Some time back there was a major problem at the top of Thorndon Ave, where small sewage pipes had been fitted in arror/or cost cutting measure, causing a most unsavoury smell. These problems should addressed before the proposed a hair brain scheme is entered into.
2. The use of the Industrial site for housing is probably a good idea, for the larger and larger juggernauts passing through 'The Village' destroying the inadequate road surfaces and in many cases the pavements. It seems it is now a 24 hour event, many of these vehicles and private cars use Station Road as a by pass for the A127 that gets gridlocked (during rush hour) just past 'The Village' on the way to London. They are also often exceeding the speed limit, but we no longer have a policeman to check them!!
Our roads are barely adequate for the existing traffic, how on earth would it copes with another 1500 households, plus cars, it beggars belief. Assuming that 50% are car users how would they exit/enter the Village, via CHilderditch Land (too small), via industrial site entrance, would almost result in chaos around the Railway Station, for more buses will be there also.

It should be pointed out that the Bus Company at present has to make arrangements to use Railway Property to turn around. It is also a fact the Council Garbage truck, can only enter Thorndon Ave one way as there is no room to maneuver.
The railway bridge would to strengthened and widened.
3. Rush hour travel by train is already a nightmare, increase in volume of passengers can only worsen matters, some arrangement would have to be sorted out with the Rail Company.
4. There are very few shops here, saints preserve us from an influx of Super Markets and the like of fast food outlets and betting shops, and the obvious decline; mainly due to littering - we seldom see the Road Sweeping Vehicle (A rare species hereabouts)
5. There no secondary school will one get build?, or more schools buses provided?
6. Our Broadband connection is probably the worst in the country, this needs to be rectified.
7. I have noticed that only West Horndon and Shenfield have been listed for use of Green Belt sites for this plan, which is contrary to Central Government Plans; Shenfield get parking spaces, West Horndon get 1500 houses, surely an anomaly here!!!!
The logic of this is that if you can release Green Belt (METROPOLITAN GREEN BELT in the case of West Horndon,) Then you could apply the same rule throughout Brentwood, (Or the country at large) thereby removing any objections to any development of any kind, would you with to setting a legal precedent, or are you just chancing your arm hoping to get this through unopposed. Whatever your answer it si truly an ill thought out concept, with no consideration of the impact it will have upon the residents and area, or environment.

CONCLUSION
There have previously been numerous plans to build houses hereabouts, almost all have faltered upon the fact that the area is a flood plain and subject to flooding at various times of the year (West Horndon and Bulphan). With regard to Bulphan IT would be stupid to increase their risk of flooding and litigation that may follow by using ill considered planning scheme.
The infrastructure would need to be put in place before any new houses are built also a renewal of existing services, the cost of this would be prohibitive with road widening etc for the present system just about copes, plus all the other items mentioned above.
Over recent times West Horndon has been ill served by Brentwood Council, they have tried to move u s on to become part of Havering or Billericay instead without success. Or will you now deny this? Since out Councillor Roy Boggis departed this life, our voice goes almost unheard in the Council Offices, our present representative we were told was on the Planning Committee, but claimed not to know anything of the plans for West Horndon, thus our Parish Council was suddenly confronted by this new planning scheme out of the blue.
Our police presence has been reduced to a phone, line, speeding traffic is increasing as there is now no check upon this.---A matter of time before a serious accident occurs. The street cleaning vehicle has become an endangered species, as are those who cut verges etc.
Is this purely Political Plan, for West Horndon has never really been favoured by Brentwood Council, almost an uwanted entity indeed, also by placing such a burden upon it would lose but a few votes come election time. Putting such a number of house elsewhere in the borough would certainly impact upon the vote.
Perhaps you may consider this cycnical view, but it could easily fir the abject planning scheme so far proposed, the next move I suspect will be a reduction in the number of houses, to give the impression of leniency, then a hurried and railroaded plan for the remainder.
Having voted in all types of elections for nearly 60 years am always dubious of the words of all political voices.