Comment
Strategic Growth Options
Representation ID: 6079
Received: 16/02/2015
Respondent: Mrs Sandra Mate
* Whilst transport is considered, the focus appears to be on Crossrail and links to Brentwood Town Centre. Although important, given the scale of potential development within the A127 Corridor, a completely fresh transport strategy needs to be developed for this area. This will need to consider both the impact of Brentwood and Basildon's development along the Shoeburyness to Fenchurch Street rail line, and take into account that other local councils are looking to develop along this line as well (significant knock-on impact that may occur will not be considered by looking at just Brentwood and Basildon's plans alone). It also needs to consider how residents of the Garden Suburb (if developed) travel to West Horndon, Laindon and Basildon, and how West Horndon village residents travel to the Garden Suburb, Brentwood and Basildon town centres. The transport strategy will also need to incorporate regular public transport to local employment locations given the potential redevelopment of the West Horndon industrial estates.
* From a road perspective, the consultation document focuses heavily on the A12 and A127. However the A128 links these two roads, and importantly links the south of the Borough to Brentwood Town Centre including related infrastructure (importantly, secondary schools). Any development within the A127 or A12 corridors will need to consider how to alleviate what will become intolerable strain on this specific road.
Please find attached my completed consultation questionaire for the Strategic Growth Options Consultation.
I support the principles set out in the National Planning Policy Framework for the protection of the Green Belt to prevent urban creep.
I strongly oppose inappropriate development in the green belt except in exceptional circumstances where the benefits clearly outweigh the harm and we also support the view that housing need alone does not constitute exceptional benefit.
However, I acknowledge the challenge that the Strategic Housing Allocation numbers present to Brentwood Borough Council. I recognise that without clear locations for the necessary houses identified by the Strategic Housing Allocation, Brentwood Borough Council will be highly unlikely to have a robust Local Development Plan approved. That presents the risk of aggressive speculative developers attempting to obtain planning approval anywhere in the borough and that the appeals system could result in inappropriate and poorly coordinated development taking place.
Thus in the unfortunate circumstance where Green Belt does have to be sacrificed in order to meet the statutory obligations of the Strategic Housing Allocation it is essential that only the minimum amount of land is sacrificed and that this is done in locations and in such a way that harm and urban creep is kept to an absolute minimum.
All my responses to the questions in the consultation must be viewed in this light.