Re Areas 076 and 077 Flood risks in Blackmore. Having lived in Blackmore since 1974 and having suffered severe flooding of my house in August 1987, I probably know more about the surface water drainage of this area than most. Blackmore lies in a bowl at the head of a gentle valley with land rising to the east, north and west. Surface water drains from these areas around, under or through the village towards the south - the lower outlet of The Moat becoming the source of the River Wid. In August 1987 houses were flooded around The Green, along the south side of Blackmore Road and, worst of all, the southern half of Church Street - up to 3 feet deep including St Laurence Church and Jericho Priory. We have had a number of near misses since - notably June 2016 when my house was inches from being flooded . On that occasion around The Green some properties were flooded due to the Sewage and Surface Water Pump on the Ingatestone Road failing so that water backed up. So far as I can see surface water run off from development 076 adjacent to Orchard piece will drain to The Green / Pond area of the village. Surface water run off from 077 adjacent to Woollard Way will drain partly towards The Pond, but probably partly to the St Laurence Church area through underground pipes which empty into the stream near Red Brick Cottages, Blacksmiths Alley. We are endlessly told that Climate Change will result in more extremes of weather so further increased risk of flooding in Blackmore is likely. Another relevant factor is that Epping Forest District Council is allowing a housing estate near the A414 on the site of the former Norton Heath Riding Centre - surface water from that area drains to The Green / Pond area of Blackmore.

My general comment is that I object to the lack of both time and constructive consultation given for such an important proposal; to the extent I get the impression it is a deliberant attempt to result in negative result. How one can be expected to form an intelligent opinion on a 100-page document and supporting documents, the informing letter received Feb. 2 and comments to be submitted by 12 March I consider quite unreasonable.
At the Council`s drop-in on 19 Feb. I and many others hoped to receive specific answers to questions relating to Blackmore but due to large number of people attending and few officers in attendance, and the latter either not able or apparently or unwilling to answer specific questions it was a waste of time.
Summing up it the Local Plan `drop in` was a political exercise to enable a tick to be placed in the Consultation carried out box.

I object to the whole plan as it is quite clear as the whole of the area is already over populated.
Specifically, as far as Blackmore is concerned the infrastructure is already overload particularly traffic wise not just local but from adjacent areas. As far the extra houses are concerned the plan only states numbers not what is important is types i.e. are they 2,4,5, bedroomed and how many storeys?
There are too few affordable properties now and the number reducing as properties have been and are being extended with planning permission, also all the new build locally has been unaffordable; who permitted these; the planning department.
This is of personal interest to me as we have a large four-bedroom property and since we retired we have been looking for a smaller property we could afford but as time goes on it gets increasingly less possible. We know of several others in the parish in this predicament or nearing it.

I also support the Parish Council`s objections so I will not bore you repeating or paraphrasing them.

Strategic Objectives
I agree with and support SO1, SO2 SO3, SO6, SO15, SO16, SO17, SO18 and SO22
I disagree with and object to SO4 and SO7

Housing Need
On page 18 the 2014 DCLG household projections reveals, when converted to dwellings, an increase from 322 to 348 net new dwellings is the starting point for the annual objectively assessed need for housing. This is lower than the 362 dwellings figure in the Draft Local Plan (2016).
Due to the worsening of the affordability ratio in Brentwood and the increased costs of rental levels, I conclude there is a need for a reasonable upwards move in the proportion of new dwellings that are affordable. The higher price of housing implies greater profits from developments. This allows for a higher percentage of affordable housing to be delivered. The exact figure needs to be tested for viability but I expect mixed housing at 50% or above affordable housing should be achievable on sites of 15 or more new homes qualifying for affordable housing delivery. There is a ready supply of housing currently available through estate agents that could be termed unaffordable housing for those on or below average pay. The need for affordable housing, rental and purchase, can more truly be called 'need'. As the proportion of affordable housing delivered through new housing developments increases the total number of new houses required to deliver the needed number of affordable new homes can be reduced. If, as many are predicting and is expected due to leaving the EU, housing costs starts to fall, the proportion of affordable housing delivered from new developments would have to fall but general affordability would be improving at the same time. I reject the DCLG proposed new standard formula for housing need. Government schemes boosting the supply of money for new houses, buy-to-let investment schemes and other investment vehicles (UK and foreign) have distorted the market for housing artificially inflating prices, I therefore reject the adoption of 380 dwellings per annum as the OAHN.
The OAHN of 348 dwellings per annum equates to 6,960 dwellings across the plan period (2013-33).
2,109 or 30% have already been built, have planning permission or are expected to come through windfall delivery.
1,732 or 25% can be built on urban and other brownfield sites.

Green Belt
On page 34 at 74 it says "Government policy states that Traveller sites (temporary or permanent) in the Green Belt are inappropriate development, which by definition is harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved, except in very special circumstances. The PPTS states that Green Belt boundaries should be altered only in exceptional circumstances." This is the only reference to the need for exceptional circumstances in the document but paragraph 83 of the NPPF says "Once established, Green Belt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances" but we are not told what these are or if there any. Paragraph 87 makes it even clearer saying "As with previous Green Belt policy, inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances."

Green Belt is meant to be a restraint. Paragraph 87 of NPPF states "The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of Green Belts are their openness and their permanence." This Draft Plan has lost sight of this. Much of the currently open Green Belt would be lost to housing despite NPPG advise:-
In decision taking, can unmet need for housing outweigh Green Belt Protection? Unmet housing need (including for traveller sites) is unlikely to outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and other harm to constitute the "very special circumstances" justifying inappropriate development on a site within the Green Belt. Planning Practice Guidance, Housing and economic land availability assessment, Methodology - Stage 5: Final evidence base, 6 March 2014. Paragraph 034 Reference ID: 3-034-20141006 from the NPPG

The Council do not have sufficient grounds to believe that the unmet need for housing or any other very special circumstances should apply here or could in combination constitute the very special circumstances required.

Green Belt serves five purposes:
●● to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
●● to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;
●● to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
●● to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and
●● to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land

To varying degrees at each site, now in Green Belt, there would be harm done to these purposes.

Green Belt is meant to direct development elsewhere. In this Draft Plan 4,327 new homes, or 70% of the 6,154 to be built, are to be directed to former Green Belt land. On top of this, employment site 187 south of East Horndon Hall, would also be lost from Green Belt. This is unrestrained growth, it negates the aim and purposes of Green Belt.

That said, the harm done to Green Belt is different at different sites. Brownfield development in Green Belt may not be inappropriate. It is true that many of the chosen sites are already compromised by some buildings on site or around it or proximity of the railway or A12.

I object to the 2,500 (potentially rising to 3,500) new homes at Dunton Hills.

I object to sites 076 and 077 at Blackmore and 075B and 194 at Kelvedon Hatch.

My family and I attended the Consultation at Tipps Cross Village Hall on the 19/2/18. We looked at all the proposed Plans for our area and were very disappointed with the outcome of this meeting in that there was no Question and Answer service available. With regard to the proposed Development for Blackmore Village, I have to say, we are utterly disgusted that BBC are even thinking of spoiling Blackmore Village, a 'unique village' by considering greedy developers plans to allow the building of up to 98 houses which would completely ruin the village and decimate it and I will explain why!!! When we moved to the village forty years ago we chose to live here because of the countryside, green fields and a tranquil way of life! During the last ten years many changes have taken place in our village spoiling our way of life. Bungalows were knocked down and huge detached houses built, gardens started disappearing as people built bigger extensions to their property. More and more people living in the village now are overlooked by large houses being built taking many open views away. For over twenty five years a bungalow backed on to my garden but this was re-built when sold into a large house and now my view from my window is 'Colditz '!!! Our roads through the village have never been so busy, in the mornings its a rat run from Mountnessing to the 414 with people speeding, making it quite dangerous for people wishing to walk to their local shop. In fact, its quite frightening walking to the centre of the village with the traffic coming through as it does. So anymore local traffic in the village would be a disaster. People now find parking difficult in the village because of the volume of traffic using the village to use our amenities and school etc. We have a problem in Meadow Rise where parents dropping off children at Blackmore School will not use the Village Hall Car Park and insist on using our access road to our properties as a car park. Because they park in our road and our road is not very wide, large vehicles cannot get passed them and so they drive on to our grass verges and damage our kerb stones etc. It is also wear and tear on our road and drop kerbs where they turn around. This is going on twice a day and the only peace we have where life gets back to normal is in school holidays so the thought of anymore cars coming to this village would be disasterous for everyone who lives here. Anymore people into Blackmore Village would deeply affect our present Health Care System as the Health Care Centre would not be able to cope with additional people. We have trouble getting appointments when we want them now, to increase their workload further would mean a longer wait for appointments to see a Doctor. Blackmore Primary School is not a large school and is full now so there would be no places for the children of a huge development. My son moved into the village in the early part of last year and his two children have to go to Doddinghurst School because he could not get them into Blackmore Primary School. This is an inconvenience to them as they have to drive the children to school every day and then drive to pick them up. It would have been far nicer for my grandchildren to have walked to Blackmore Primary School from their home. Blackmore Village is prone to flooding in many places because of the way the water table runs. More housing in the village would make this worse as there would be more concrete and the water from the fields etc. would cause more flooding as it would have no where to go. When we moved into our house we had to put clay pipes down one side of the garden because of the water not running away quick enough from the lawn so in my opinion, this is a major concern to the village. I remember many years ago when boats were used in Church Street to rescue some elderly people who could not get out of their homes. The water came up passed exhaust pipes on cars and lingered for days. In my opinion, and this is the opinion of many, Brentwood Borough Council should be proud that they have such a Unique Village on their doorstep and the last thing you should be allowing is for some persons to come in, build 'Lego Land' and spoil something so beautiful and then leave. Blackmore Village has History and many outsiders come into the village to enjoy the pond, ducks, see the cows grazing in the fields, visit the local Pubs, Tea Shop and Antique Shop. It also creates employment for local people. The residents enjoy their village by having village fairs, walks around the village lanes, cycling and the professional cyclists enjoy our village too and this is how this village should remain forever. The villagers hope you have our best interests at heart because you as a Borough Council receive very High Council Tax from its residents and we want our Village preserved from Developers who are just wanting to make millions of pounds as they care very little if they spoil a place. The landscape of Blackmore Village should be preserved at all costs because without it, it will cease to be a Village and become an urban sprawl!!!! We say NO to any development whatsoever!!!!

I object to these proposals because we have only recently moved to Woollard Way in Blackmore in mid-October 2017.Like most people, we spent a long time choosing our home and considered many things when making the purchase. If these proposals were to go ahead it would completely change our street and village. In addition to this, the prospect of living next a building site for however long it takes to build this new plot of houses feels me with dread. We moved to this area for the peace, quiet and tranquillity that Blackmore offers, all of which will be completely ruined during the construction period, not to mention the unwanted changes once the project is complete. We would not have chosen this property if there was a housing estate at the end of our road as opposed to field. You can imagine the distress this is causing us having invested such a large amount of money into a house only for these proposals to surface less than 3 months after we moved in.
It seems that Brentwood Council have been put under pressure by the Government and these are ill considered proposals that have been rushed through with very little thought and consideration to the impact on the residents and community within our Parish. It seems to me that the land owner wants to sell and Brentwood Council are desperately looking for a quick solution to avoid the government taking control of the housing process. The fact that this land is green belt is simply an inconvenience that the Council will attempt to overlook in order to satisfy the demands laid out by the government in November of last year.
In addition to my personal objections and circumstances I would also like to echo the objections made by the Parish, a summary of which is below.
Disproportionate increase - The proposed expansion is completely disproportionate and extremely unfair to the residents of Blackmore. Building such a large number of houses that increases the village by over 25% will completely change the unique character and feel of the village that we know and love.
Building on Green Belt Land - Green belt was introduced to prevent urban sprawl and maintain the character of community and villages. Green belt should only be built on when all other sites have been discounted. You mention that you have alternative sites already in the pipeline, I assume then that these must all be green belt sites as well.
Health Centre - It is very difficult to get an appointment at the health centre already. This will become almost impossible if we increase the numbers within the parish as you propose.
Education - The School is already at capacity and will not be able to cope with the additional intake generated by the proposed additional housing. I'm also struggling to understand how 96 new houses would only increase the pupil numbers by 26 children.
Travel and infrastructure - The nearest railway station is approximately 5 miles away and the bus service within the village is very infrequent. This village is not suitable for such a large increase in population.
I will contest these proposals at every stage possible in the hope that the council will see sense and reconsider the Draft Local Plan

I wholly do not support this project. The local infrastructure is not large enough in Blackmore to accommodate this extra housing and the individuals who come with it.
Furthermore it will completely change the character of what is a conservation area and needs protecting, not building on.

OBJECTION TO: Brentwood Draft Local Plan: Preferred Site Allocations Consultation: I write in connection with the above planning application. I have examined the plans and I know both sites well. I WISH TO OBJECT STRONGLY to the development of these houses in both locations. Blackmore is a dispersed settlement where development proposals should be considered very carefully: adding 20 new homes on the Recreational Field (that I believe has a covenant to prevent ANY building) would lead to an increase in travel and congestion. There are no pavements and no facilities other than the Doctors Surgery that already has unreasonable waiting times for appointments. The development of 96 homes off Redrose Lane would not only ruin the character of the village it would overwhelm it. Pressure for the development in the village is considerable, and has been successfully resisted previously. The reasons for rejecting those schemes included the inadequacy of the lanes to accommodate even small increases in traffic and the insufficient infrastructure within the village. In addition, my concerns are that electricity, water and sewerage systems will be overloaded. There are several areas that flood on a regular basis (the main concern at the junction of Redrose and Nine Ashes Road). I am also concerned about Brentwood County Council's limited bus services through the village. This could restrict opportunities for the residents of the new development to travel by public transport and in consequence increase the scale of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the number of necessary journeys required when living in Blackmore. Added to this is the issue of parking facilities, the school already uses the village hall car park to capacity so cars are forced to park on Nine Ashes Road restricting it to a single lane. Plus, the junction emerging from Redrose into Nine Ashes Road has dangerously restricted visibility. In view of all of the above I feel it is not in the best interest of the village and strongly urge you to reconsider these (Green Belt) site allocations.

1. I object on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village. Of the proposed sites listed in Green belt -Larger Villages section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village, whereas neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development; 2. The sites 076 and 077 are green belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Many rare birds such as skylark, barn owls and turtle dove are regular visitors to the fields in question; 3. These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is narrow and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic; 4. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing; 5. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. If site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children. This will also apply to site 077 if it is accessed via Woollard Way; 6. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would may result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village; 7. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only; 8. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. Current drainage infrastructure simply cannot cope. The water flows down Nine Ashes Road and across into Red Rose Lane flooding the drainage ditches in the road which also cannot cope and take several days to drain away. The sub soil structure is heavy clay content and water is retained in the surrounding area and also does not drain away. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing putting further strain on the water table. In addition the village pond frequently overflows due to the difficulty of draining away a high volume of water. If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable. My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council

I accept that with Brentwood being a district with a high proportion of Green Belt finding appropriate sites for development is a struggle.
Why have sites such as the areas alongside the A12 along the Rayleigh Road not been considered in this respect? There are many others that are not on the list proposed by BBC
There is no justification for placing such an unacceptably high burden of 4 sites within an established Green Belt area of the Blackmore parish when other villages in the area have no houses being proposed at all. The increase in the number of proposed additional development in the area of the village of Blackmore at Orchard Piece and Woollard Way will increase the existing number of houses by 30%. The existing infrastructure is overburdened already on Roads, Drainage, Schools and Health and other services, and could not possibly survive an increase of this size. It would irreparably damage the existing community and provide an unacceptable environment for the huge number of new inhabitants.
Before any plan could be acceptable (even to the Council let alone the existing community) a full detail of solutions to the Infrastructure shortfalls would need to be put forward and agreed by the council and the voters. This has not happened so far.
It would require major upgrades to utilities systems such as foul water system, water supply, power, gas and communications
There is no GP surgery within the parish and the local health centre already struggles to service the needs of the community.
The local primary school in Blackmore is already full and the possibility of an increase in demand for this or other local schools may not be met within the local education system.
There is a limited bus service which will put additional pressures on the roads which are not up to the existing traffic with most being too narrow for larger vehicles to pass, many flooded areas causing extra danger zones and collisions, plus abysmal surfaces already causing damage to many of the vehicles. If there is any intention of providing Affordable Housing, the bus service could not support the burden of those residents and roads could not support additional cars (even if they could be afforded. As there is no employment in the village, solutions to these problems would be critical. Even households of higher values would need to commute to maintain their employment.
The proposed access via Red Rose Lane for the Woollard Way site is ridiculous. I assume no one from the planning team have actually seen it, as is barely wide enough for 2 vehicles let alone an additional regular daily increase of approximately 200 cars that will put unacceptable pressure on local traffic through the village and local countryside.
The development in Orchard Piece with access via Red Rose Lane is again an ill thought out proposal, this is again barely wide enough for 2 cars with no passing places for vehicles the additional traffic will cause damage to the road which already suffers from use by heavy vehicles which damage the verges and flooding occurs regularly due to the high water table with the run off from fields and the poorly kept ditches overflowing that results in abandoned vehicles.
Apart from the proposed new sites, there will already be a massive influx from the new building site at Norton Heath which has only just started as part of Epping District Council's solution to the same problem. Unfortunately Blackmore is the closest community by far to it and will therefore surer all of the consequences of extra use of its already overburdened services and infrastructure. Other villages run by Epping will therefore benefit at the expense of villages run by Brentwood.
In summary the degradation of the environment around Blackmore is an unacceptable burden on the residents of the village and the proposed development does not represent a well thought out option to meet housing needs. In the overall borough where the housing stock increase is under 10%, Blackmore faces 3 times that increase if BBC where to ignore the huge and protracted opposition that is already being mounted locally. You will no doubt remember the 5 year battle fought and won by the villagers with massive national publicity to stop the local listed public house being turned into one private home.

1. I object on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village. Of the proposed sites listed in Green belt -Larger Villages section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village, whereas neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development; 2. The sites 076 and 077 are green belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Many rare birds such as skylark, barn owls and turtle dove are regular visitors to the fields in question; 3. These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is narrow and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic; 4. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing; 5. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. If site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children. This will also apply to site 077 if it is accessed via Woollard Way; 6. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would may result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village; 7. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only; 8. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. Current drainage infrastructure simply cannot cope. The water flows down Nine Ashes Road and across into Red Rose Lane flooding the drainage ditches in the road which also cannot cope and take several days to drain away. The sub soil structure is heavy clay content and water is retained in the surrounding area and also does not drain away. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing putting further strain on the water table. In addition the village pond frequently overflows due to the difficulty of draining away a high volume of water. If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable. My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council

I accept that with Brentwood being a district with a high proportion of Green Belt finding appropriate sites for development is a struggle.
Why have sites such as the areas alongside the A12 along the Rayleigh Road not been considered in this respect? There are many others that are not on the list proposed by BBC
There is no justification for placing such an unacceptably high burden of 4 sites within an established Green Belt area of the Blackmore parish when other villages in the area have no houses being proposed at all. The increase in the number of proposed additional development in the area of the village of Blackmore at Orchard Piece and Woollard Way will increase the existing number of houses by 30%. The existing infrastructure is overburdened already on Roads, Drainage, Schools and Health and other services, and could not possibly survive an increase of this size. It would irreparably damage the existing community and provide an unacceptable environment for the huge number of new inhabitants.
Before any plan could be acceptable (even to the Council let alone the existing community) a full detail of solutions to the Infrastructure shortfalls would need to be put forward and agreed by the council and the voters. This has not happened so far.
It would require major upgrades to utilities systems such as foul water system, water supply, power, gas and communications
There is no GP surgery within the parish and the local health centre already struggles to service the needs of the community.
The local primary school in Blackmore is already full and the possibility of an increase in demand for this or other local schools may not be met within the local education system.
There is a limited bus service which will put additional pressures on the roads which are not up to the existing traffic with most being too narrow for larger vehicles to pass, many flooded areas causing extra danger zones and collisions, plus abysmal surfaces already causing damage to many of the vehicles. If there is any intention of providing Affordable Housing, the bus service could not support the burden of those residents and roads could not support additional cars (even if they could be afforded. As there is no employment in the village, solutions to these problems would be critical. Even households of higher values would need to commute to maintain their employment.
The proposed access via Red Rose Lane for the Woollard Way site is ridiculous. I assume no one from the planning team have actually seen it, as is barely wide enough for 2 vehicles let alone an additional regular daily increase of approximately 200 cars that will put unacceptable pressure on local traffic through the village and local countryside.
The development in Orchard Piece with access via Red Rose Lane is again an ill thought out proposal, this is again barely wide enough for 2 cars with no passing places for vehicles the additional traffic will cause damage to the road which already suffers from use by heavy vehicles which damage the verges and flooding occurs regularly due to the high water table with the run off from fields and the poorly kept ditches overflowing that results in abandoned vehicles.
Apart from the proposed new sites, there will already be a massive influx from the new building site at Norton Heath which has only just started as part of Epping District Council's solution to the same problem. Unfortunately Blackmore is the closest community by far to it and will therefore surer all of the consequences of extra use of its already overburdened services and infrastructure. Other villages run by Epping will therefore benefit at the expense of villages run by Brentwood.
In summary the degradation of the environment around Blackmore is an unacceptable burden on the residents of the village and the proposed development does not represent a well thought out option to meet housing needs. In the overall borough where the housing stock increase is under 10%, Blackmore faces 3 times that increase if BBC where to ignore the huge and protracted opposition that is already being mounted locally. You will no doubt remember the 5 year battle fought and won by the villagers with massive national publicity to stop the local listed public house being turned into one private home.

I accept that with Brentwood being a district with a high proportion of Green Belt finding appropriate sites for development is a struggle.
Why have sites such as the areas alongside the A12 along the Rayleigh Road not been considered in this respect? There are many others that are not on the list proposed by BBC
There is no justification for placing such an unacceptably high burden of 4 sites within an established Green Belt area of the Blackmore parish when other villages in the area have no houses being proposed at all. The increase in the number of proposed additional development in the area of the village of Blackmore at Orchard Piece and Woollard Way will increase the existing number of houses by 30%. The existing infrastructure is overburdened already on Roads, Drainage, Schools and Health and other services, and could not possibly survive an increase of this size. It would irreparably damage the existing community and provide an unacceptable environment for the huge number of new inhabitants.
Before any plan could be acceptable (even to the Council let alone the existing community) a full detail of solutions to the Infrastructure shortfalls would need to be put forward and agreed by the council and the voters. This has not happened so far.
It would require major upgrades to utilities systems such as foul water system, water supply, power, gas and communications
There is no GP surgery within the parish and the local health centre already struggles to service the needs of the community.
The local primary school in Blackmore is already full and the possibility of an increase in demand for this or other local schools may not be met within the local education system.
There is a limited bus service which will put additional pressures on the roads which are not up to the existing traffic with most being too narrow for larger vehicles to pass, many flooded areas causing extra danger zones and collisions, plus abysmal surfaces already causing damage to many of the vehicles. If there is any intention of providing Affordable Housing, the bus service could not support the burden of those residents and roads could not support additional cars (even if they could be afforded. As there is no employment in the village, solutions to these problems would be critical. Even households of higher values would need to commute to maintain their employment.
The proposed access via Red Rose Lane for the Woollard Way site is ridiculous. I assume no one from the planning team have actually seen it, as is barely wide enough for 2 vehicles let alone an additional regular daily increase of approximately 200 cars that will put unacceptable pressure on local traffic through the village and local countryside.
The development in Orchard Piece with access via Red Rose Lane is again an ill thought out proposal, this is again barely wide enough for 2 cars with no passing places for vehicles the additional traffic will cause damage to the road which already suffers from use by heavy vehicles which damage the verges and flooding occurs regularly due to the high water table with the run off from fields and the poorly kept ditches overflowing that results in abandoned vehicles.
Apart from the proposed new sites, there will already be a massive influx from the new building site at Norton Heath which has only just started as part of Epping District Council's solution to the same problem. Unfortunately Blackmore is the closest community by far to it and will therefore surer all of the consequences of extra use of its already overburdened services and infrastructure. Other villages run by Epping will therefore benefit at the expense of villages run by Brentwood.
In summary the degradation of the environment around Blackmore is an unacceptable burden on the residents of the village and the proposed development does not represent a well thought out option to meet housing needs. In the overall borough where the housing stock increase is under 10%, Blackmore faces 3 times that increase if BBC where to ignore the huge and protracted opposition that is already being mounted locally. You will no doubt remember the 5 year battle fought and won by the villagers with massive national publicity to stop the local listed public house being turned into one private home.

I accept that with Brentwood being a district with a high proportion of Green Belt finding appropriate sites for development is a struggle.
Why have sites such as the areas alongside the A12 along the Rayleigh Road not been considered in this respect? There are many others that are not on the list proposed by BBC
There is no justification for placing such an unacceptably high burden of 4 sites within an established Green Belt area of the Blackmore parish when other villages in the area have no houses being proposed at all. The increase in the number of proposed additional development in the area of the village of Blackmore at Orchard Piece and Woollard Way will increase the existing number of houses by 30%. The existing infrastructure is overburdened already on Roads, Drainage, Schools and Health and other services, and could not possibly survive an increase of this size. It would irreparably damage the existing community and provide an unacceptable environment for the huge number of new inhabitants.
Before any plan could be acceptable (even to the Council let alone the existing community) a full detail of solutions to the Infrastructure shortfalls would need to be put forward and agreed by the council and the voters. This has not happened so far.
It would require major upgrades to utilities systems such as foul water system, water supply, power, gas and communications
There is no GP surgery within the parish and the local health centre already struggles to service the needs of the community.
The local primary school in Blackmore is already full and the possibility of an increase in demand for this or other local schools may not be met within the local education system.
There is a limited bus service which will put additional pressures on the roads which are not up to the existing traffic with most being too narrow for larger vehicles to pass, many flooded areas causing extra danger zones and collisions, plus abysmal surfaces already causing damage to many of the vehicles. If there is any intention of providing Affordable Housing, the bus service could not support the burden of those residents and roads could not support additional cars (even if they could be afforded. As there is no employment in the village, solutions to these problems would be critical. Even households of higher values would need to commute to maintain their employment.
The proposed access via Red Rose Lane for the Woollard Way site is ridiculous. I assume no one from the planning team have actually seen it, as is barely wide enough for 2 vehicles let alone an additional regular daily increase of approximately 200 cars that will put unacceptable pressure on local traffic through the village and local countryside.
The development in Orchard Piece with access via Red Rose Lane is again an ill thought out proposal, this is again barely wide enough for 2 cars with no passing places for vehicles the additional traffic will cause damage to the road which already suffers from use by heavy vehicles which damage the verges and flooding occurs regularly due to the high water table with the run off from fields and the poorly kept ditches overflowing that results in abandoned vehicles.
Apart from the proposed new sites, there will already be a massive influx from the new building site at Norton Heath which has only just started as part of Epping District Council's solution to the same problem. Unfortunately Blackmore is the closest community by far to it and will therefore surer all of the consequences of extra use of its already overburdened services and infrastructure. Other villages run by Epping will therefore benefit at the expense of villages run by Brentwood.
In summary the degradation of the environment around Blackmore is an unacceptable burden on the residents of the village and the proposed development does not represent a well thought out option to meet housing needs. In the overall borough where the housing stock increase is under 10%, Blackmore faces 3 times that increase if BBC where to ignore the huge and protracted opposition that is already being mounted locally. You will no doubt remember the 5 year battle fought and won by the villagers with massive national publicity to stop the local listed public house being turned into one private home.

I accept that with Brentwood being a district with a high proportion of Green Belt finding appropriate sites for development is a struggle.
Why have sites such as the areas alongside the A12 along the Rayleigh Road not been considered in this respect? There are many others that are not on the list proposed by BBC
There is no justification for placing such an unacceptably high burden of 4 sites within an established Green Belt area of the Blackmore parish when other villages in the area have no houses being proposed at all. The increase in the number of proposed additional development in the area of the village of Blackmore at Orchard Piece and Woollard Way will increase the existing number of houses by 30%. The existing infrastructure is overburdened already on Roads, Drainage, Schools and Health and other services, and could not possibly survive an increase of this size. It would irreparably damage the existing community and provide an unacceptable environment for the huge number of new inhabitants.
Before any plan could be acceptable (even to the Council let alone the existing community) a full detail of solutions to the Infrastructure shortfalls would need to be put forward and agreed by the council and the voters. This has not happened so far.
It would require major upgrades to utilities systems such as foul water system, water supply, power, gas and communications
There is no GP surgery within the parish and the local health centre already struggles to service the needs of the community.
The local primary school in Blackmore is already full and the possibility of an increase in demand for this or other local schools may not be met within the local education system.
There is a limited bus service which will put additional pressures on the roads which are not up to the existing traffic with most being too narrow for larger vehicles to pass, many flooded areas causing extra danger zones and collisions, plus abysmal surfaces already causing damage to many of the vehicles. If there is any intention of providing Affordable Housing, the bus service could not support the burden of those residents and roads could not support additional cars (even if they could be afforded. As there is no employment in the village, solutions to these problems would be critical. Even households of higher values would need to commute to maintain their employment.
The proposed access via Red Rose Lane for the Woollard Way site is ridiculous. I assume no one from the planning team have actually seen it, as is barely wide enough for 2 vehicles let alone an additional regular daily increase of approximately 200 cars that will put unacceptable pressure on local traffic through the village and local countryside.
The development in Orchard Piece with access via Red Rose Lane is again an ill thought out proposal, this is again barely wide enough for 2 cars with no passing places for vehicles the additional traffic will cause damage to the road which already suffers from use by heavy vehicles which damage the verges and flooding occurs regularly due to the high water table with the run off from fields and the poorly kept ditches overflowing that results in abandoned vehicles.
Apart from the proposed new sites, there will already be a massive influx from the new building site at Norton Heath which has only just started as part of Epping District Council's solution to the same problem. Unfortunately Blackmore is the closest community by far to it and will therefore surer all of the consequences of extra use of its already overburdened services and infrastructure. Other villages run by Epping will therefore benefit at the expense of villages run by Brentwood.
In summary the degradation of the environment around Blackmore is an unacceptable burden on the residents of the village and the proposed development does not represent a well thought out option to meet housing needs. In the overall borough where the housing stock increase is under 10%, Blackmore faces 3 times that increase if BBC where to ignore the huge and protracted opposition that is already being mounted locally. You will no doubt remember the 5 year battle fought and won by the villagers with massive national publicity to stop the local listed public house being turned into one private home.

I accept that with Brentwood being a district with a high proportion of Green Belt finding appropriate sites for development is a struggle.
Why have sites such as the areas alongside the A12 along the Rayleigh Road not been considered in this respect? There are many others that are not on the list proposed by BBC
There is no justification for placing such an unacceptably high burden of 4 sites within an established Green Belt area of the Blackmore parish when other villages in the area have no houses being proposed at all. The increase in the number of proposed additional development in the area of the village of Blackmore at Orchard Piece and Woollard Way will increase the existing number of houses by 30%. The existing infrastructure is overburdened already on Roads, Drainage, Schools and Health and other services, and could not possibly survive an increase of this size. It would irreparably damage the existing community and provide an unacceptable environment for the huge number of new inhabitants.
Before any plan could be acceptable (even to the Council let alone the existing community) a full detail of solutions to the Infrastructure shortfalls would need to be put forward and agreed by the council and the voters. This has not happened so far.
It would require major upgrades to utilities systems such as foul water system, water supply, power, gas and communications
There is no GP surgery within the parish and the local health centre already struggles to service the needs of the community.
The local primary school in Blackmore is already full and the possibility of an increase in demand for this or other local schools may not be met within the local education system.
There is a limited bus service which will put additional pressures on the roads which are not up to the existing traffic with most being too narrow for larger vehicles to pass, many flooded areas causing extra danger zones and collisions, plus abysmal surfaces already causing damage to many of the vehicles. If there is any intention of providing Affordable Housing, the bus service could not support the burden of those residents and roads could not support additional cars (even if they could be afforded. As there is no employment in the village, solutions to these problems would be critical. Even households of higher values would need to commute to maintain their employment.
The proposed access via Red Rose Lane for the Woollard Way site is ridiculous. I assume no one from the planning team have actually seen it, as is barely wide enough for 2 vehicles let alone an additional regular daily increase of approximately 200 cars that will put unacceptable pressure on local traffic through the village and local countryside.
The development in Orchard Piece with access via Red Rose Lane is again an ill thought out proposal, this is again barely wide enough for 2 cars with no passing places for vehicles the additional traffic will cause damage to the road which already suffers from use by heavy vehicles which damage the verges and flooding occurs regularly due to the high water table with the run off from fields and the poorly kept ditches overflowing that results in abandoned vehicles.
Apart from the proposed new sites, there will already be a massive influx from the new building site at Norton Heath which has only just started as part of Epping District Council's solution to the same problem. Unfortunately Blackmore is the closest community by far to it and will therefore surer all of the consequences of extra use of its already overburdened services and infrastructure. Other villages run by Epping will therefore benefit at the expense of villages run by Brentwood.
In summary the degradation of the environment around Blackmore is an unacceptable burden on the residents of the village and the proposed development does not represent a well thought out option to meet housing needs. In the overall borough where the housing stock increase is under 10%, Blackmore faces 3 times that increase if BBC where to ignore the huge and protracted opposition that is already being mounted locally. You will no doubt remember the 5 year battle fought and won by the villagers with massive national publicity to stop the local listed public house being turned into one private home.

I wholly do not support this project. The local infrastructure is not large enough in Blackmore to accommodate this extra housing and the individuals who come with it. Furthermore it will completely change the character of what is a conservation area and needs protecting, not building on.

100 extra properties in one small village is unacceptable and would present many problems and put considerable pressure on existing facilities. The local school would be overwhelmed; our doctors surgery already struggles to offer an appointment within three weeks and such additional patients will be detrimental to all residents. At present Blackmore is a small village with a wonderful community spirit this would be destroyed by the influx of so many people. Finally, whilst we appreciate that some development is probably inevitable, the scale which is planned is excessive and unacceptable.

The site identified for development sits directly opposite the village's primary school. The significant increase in volume of traffic and type of vehicle necessary for construction to take place will have consequences for air quality, noise, and the quality and safety of our local roads. School drop off and pick up takes place around the village hall and in the road adjacent to Red Rose Lane and an increase in traffic will have consequences for safety of children, and for fluidity of movement through the village, at these times.
Construction work for 5-6 years from 2019 threatens to affect the experience and education of children at the village school (including that of my son, currently in year 1) as a result of increased noise and air pollution. It is also
questionable how the school, already at capacity and at times with a waiting list, could absorb what could feasibly be a 100% increase in numbers of children (the school has approximately 125 places).
The development site is green belt land. My partner and I chose to live in the vicinity of Blackmore because of its rural location. We enjoy outdoor pursuits including cycling and running which are possible because of the rural nature of our community. A significant and sudden increase in the population of the village would lead to a similar increase in the amount of traffic on local roads, making such outdoor pursuits at the very least less safe.
Blackmore has a vibrant community spirit from which all residents benefit and which would be threatened by a significant and sudden increase in the population of the village. I appreciate the need for development in the village to support e.g. younger people to find homes in the area, or older residents of the village to downsize, but believe this should be proportionate, reasonable, and at a rate that allows for absorption by the local community. Disproportionate and rapid increase threatens to be detrimental to the thriving and inclusive community of Blackmore which brings so many benefits to its residents.
Finally, I note that villages of a similar size in the Brentwood area, including Herongate, Ingrave and Mountessing, have no planned development. A 28% increase in the population of Blackmore under such circumstances seems unreasonable.

The site identified for development sits directly opposite the village's primary school. The significant increase in volume of traffic and type of vehicle necessary for construction to take place will have consequences for air quality, noise, and the quality and safety of our local roads. School drop off and pick up takes place around the village hall and in the road adjacent to Red Rose Lane and an increase in traffic will have consequences for safety of children, and for fluidity of movement through the village, at these times.
Construction work for 5-6 years from 2019 threatens to affect the experience and education of children at the village school (including that of my son, currently in year 1) as a result of increased noise and air pollution. It is also
questionable how the school, already at capacity and at times with a waiting list, could absorb what could feasibly be a 100% increase in numbers of children (the school has approximately 125 places).
The development site is green belt land. My partner and I chose to live in the vicinity of Blackmore because of its rural location. We enjoy outdoor pursuits including cycling and running which are possible because of the rural nature of our community. A significant and sudden increase in the population of the village would lead to a similar increase in the amount of traffic on local roads, making such outdoor pursuits at the very least less safe.
Blackmore has a vibrant community spirit from which all residents benefit and which would be threatened by a significant and sudden increase in the population of the village. I appreciate the need for development in the village to support e.g. younger people to find homes in the area, or older residents of the village to downsize, but believe this should be proportionate, reasonable, and at a rate that allows for absorption by the local community. Disproportionate and rapid increase threatens to be detrimental to the thriving and inclusive community of Blackmore which brings so many benefits to its residents.
Finally, I note that villages of a similar size in the Brentwood area, including Herongate, Ingrave and Mountessing, have no planned development. A 28% increase in the population of Blackmore under such circumstances seems unreasonable.

Sites 076 and 077 in Blackmore.
Nothing has changed since these sites were rejected in the last assessment.
Adding up to 100 houses to the village is completely unacceptable. Totally agree with the points raised in the Parish Council's submission for the LDP. Roads, parking, school, doctors could not support another 250 (?) people and associated traffic.
At the moment there can be several weeks wait for a doctor's appointment plus getting there and back on the hourly bus is a trek. The 'Post Office' is one small counter in an already busy shop.
This development would completely change and ruin the character of this small rural village

Sites 076 and 077 in Blackmore.
Nothing has changed since these sites were rejected in the last assessment.
Adding up to 100 houses to the village is completely unacceptable. Totally agree with the points raised in the Parish Council's submission for the LDP. Roads, parking, school, doctors could not support another 250 (?) people and associated traffic.
At the moment there can be several weeks wait for a doctor's appointment plus getting there and back on the hourly bus is a trek. The 'Post Office' is one small counter in an already busy shop.
This development would completely change and ruin the character of this small rural village

Sites 076 and 077 in Blackmore.
Nothing has changed since these sites were rejected in the last assessment.
Adding up to 100 houses to the village is completely unacceptable. Totally agree with the points raised in the Parish Council's submission for the LDP. Roads, parking, school, doctors could not support another 250 (?) people and associated traffic.
At the moment there can be several weeks wait for a doctor's appointment plus getting there and back on the hourly bus is a trek. The 'Post Office' is one small counter in an already busy shop.
This development would completely change and ruin the character of this small rural village

Sites 076 and 077 in Blackmore.
Nothing has changed since these sites were rejected in the last assessment.
Adding up to 100 houses to the village is completely unacceptable. Totally agree with the points raised in the Parish Council's submission for the LDP. Roads, parking, school, doctors could not support another 250 (?) people and associated traffic.
At the moment there can be several weeks wait for a doctor's appointment plus getting there and back on the hourly bus is a trek. The 'Post Office' is one small counter in an already busy shop.
This development would completely change and ruin the character of this small rural village

1. I object to the allocations of 076 and 077 on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village which is unsustainable. Of the proposed sites listed in 'Green Belt - Larger Villages' section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village which cannot be justified. In contrast neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development. Blackmore has limited facilities and is fairly isolated from major centres, with poor public transport services.


2. The sites 076 and 077 are Green Belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Green Belt was established to protect the boundary of built development of the village and the open countryside.


3. The proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Site 076 is home to many rare birds which are protected species such as skylark, barn owls and turtle doves which are regular visitors to the field in question.

Turtle doves have been seen and heard on the site for the past 3 years and field 076 is a known breeding site for turtle doves. The turtle dove is a Section 41 species which is of principal importance for conservation of biodiversity; they are vulnerable to global extinction and are identified in the Red List of Endangered Species. They have suffered a 91% UK population decline since 1995. More than half the remaining turtle doves breed in East Anglia with Essex being identified as one of the important 'hotspots'. The loss of this site to housing would inevitably mean the loss of this important breeding site and further loss of appropriate habitat. Turtle doves favour wide undisturbed field margins and this is not the sort of habitat which can be incorporated into housing development. Furthermore, the fact that the site is a breeding site for turtle doves raises the question as to what other species exist there. A detailed assessment of both site 076 and 077 should be undertaken to establish the ecological importance of the sites; such assessments should not be left until the planning application is submitted as it may result in the site being undeliverable and therefore Brentwood Borough Council will not be able to meet their housing requirements in respect of these sites.

4. The fact that Red Rose Lane, a narrow country lane, runs East/West to the north of the village seems to have been used to justify the allocations 076 and 077 as appropriate pieces of land.
These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is a narrow country lane and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic. When these sites are viewed in reality rather than on a plan, the area is open countryside and a very important part of the Green Belt.


5. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing.


6. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. In particular, if site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children.


7. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would may result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village.


8. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only.


9. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing.

If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable.

My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council. I urge Brentwood Borough council to reconsider these allocations and retain this important section of Green Belt land. Whilst recognising the pressure for additional housing more assessment should be carried out on brownfield land or within larger settlements which are more accessible with better facilities, or within the larger new Dunton Hills Garden village settlement.

1. I object to the allocations of 076 and 077 on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village which is unsustainable. Of the proposed sites listed in 'Green Belt - Larger Villages' section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village which cannot be justified. In contrast neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development. Blackmore has limited facilities and is fairly isolated from major centres, with poor public transport services.


2. The sites 076 and 077 are Green Belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Green Belt was established to protect the boundary of built development of the village and the open countryside.


3. The proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Site 076 is home to many rare birds which are protected species such as skylark, barn owls and turtle doves which are regular visitors to the field in question.

Turtle doves have been seen and heard on the site for the past 3 years and field 076 is a known breeding site for turtle doves. The turtle dove is a Section 41 species which is of principal importance for conservation of biodiversity; they are vulnerable to global extinction and are identified in the Red List of Endangered Species. They have suffered a 91% UK population decline since 1995. More than half the remaining turtle doves breed in East Anglia with Essex being identified as one of the important 'hotspots'. The loss of this site to housing would inevitably mean the loss of this important breeding site and further loss of appropriate habitat. Turtle doves favour wide undisturbed field margins and this is not the sort of habitat which can be incorporated into housing development. Furthermore, the fact that the site is a breeding site for turtle doves raises the question as to what other species exist there. A detailed assessment of both site 076 and 077 should be undertaken to establish the ecological importance of the sites; such assessments should not be left until the planning application is submitted as it may result in the site being undeliverable and therefore Brentwood Borough Council will not be able to meet their housing requirements in respect of these sites.

4. The fact that Red Rose Lane, a narrow country lane, runs East/West to the north of the village seems to have been used to justify the allocations 076 and 077 as appropriate pieces of land.
These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is a narrow country lane and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic. When these sites are viewed in reality rather than on a plan, the area is open countryside and a very important part of the Green Belt.


5. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing.


6. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. In particular, if site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children.


7. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would may result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village.


8. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only.


9. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing.

If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable.

My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council. I urge Brentwood Borough council to reconsider these allocations and retain this important section of Green Belt land. Whilst recognising the pressure for additional housing more assessment should be carried out on brownfield land or within larger settlements which are more accessible with better facilities, or within the larger new Dunton Hills Garden village settlement.

1. I object to the allocations of 076 and 077 on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village which is unsustainable. Of the proposed sites listed in 'Green Belt - Larger Villages' section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village which cannot be justified. In contrast neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development. Blackmore has limited facilities and is fairly isolated from major centres, with poor public transport services.


2. The sites 076 and 077 are Green Belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Green Belt was established to protect the boundary of built development of the village and the open countryside.


3. The proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Site 076 is home to many rare birds which are protected species such as skylark, barn owls and turtle doves which are regular visitors to the field in question.

Turtle doves have been seen and heard on the site for the past 3 years and field 076 is a known breeding site for turtle doves. The turtle dove is a Section 41 species which is of principal importance for conservation of biodiversity; they are vulnerable to global extinction and are identified in the Red List of Endangered Species. They have suffered a 91% UK population decline since 1995. More than half the remaining turtle doves breed in East Anglia with Essex being identified as one of the important 'hotspots'. The loss of this site to housing would inevitably mean the loss of this important breeding site and further loss of appropriate habitat. Turtle doves favour wide undisturbed field margins and this is not the sort of habitat which can be incorporated into housing development. Furthermore, the fact that the site is a breeding site for turtle doves raises the question as to what other species exist there. A detailed assessment of both site 076 and 077 should be undertaken to establish the ecological importance of the sites; such assessments should not be left until the planning application is submitted as it may result in the site being undeliverable and therefore Brentwood Borough Council will not be able to meet their housing requirements in respect of these sites.

4. The fact that Red Rose Lane, a narrow country lane, runs East/West to the north of the village seems to have been used to justify the allocations 076 and 077 as appropriate pieces of land.
These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is a narrow country lane and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic. When these sites are viewed in reality rather than on a plan, the area is open countryside and a very important part of the Green Belt.


5. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing.


6. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. In particular, if site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children.


7. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would may result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village.


8. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only.


9. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing.

If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable.

My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council. I urge Brentwood Borough council to reconsider these allocations and retain this important section of Green Belt land. Whilst recognising the pressure for additional housing more assessment should be carried out on brownfield land or within larger settlements which are more accessible with better facilities, or within the larger new Dunton Hills Garden village settlement.

1. I object to the allocations of 076 and 077 on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village which is unsustainable. Of the proposed sites listed in 'Green Belt - Larger Villages' section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village which cannot be justified. In contrast neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development. Blackmore has limited facilities and is fairly isolated from major centres, with poor public transport services.


2. The sites 076 and 077 are Green Belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Green Belt was established to protect the boundary of built development of the village and the open countryside.


3. The proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Site 076 is home to many rare birds which are protected species such as skylark, barn owls and turtle doves which are regular visitors to the field in question.

Turtle doves have been seen and heard on the site for the past 3 years and field 076 is a known breeding site for turtle doves. The turtle dove is a Section 41 species which is of principal importance for conservation of biodiversity; they are vulnerable to global extinction and are identified in the Red List of Endangered Species. They have suffered a 91% UK population decline since 1995. More than half the remaining turtle doves breed in East Anglia with Essex being identified as one of the important 'hotspots'. The loss of this site to housing would inevitably mean the loss of this important breeding site and further loss of appropriate habitat. Turtle doves favour wide undisturbed field margins and this is not the sort of habitat which can be incorporated into housing development. Furthermore, the fact that the site is a breeding site for turtle doves raises the question as to what other species exist there. A detailed assessment of both site 076 and 077 should be undertaken to establish the ecological importance of the sites; such assessments should not be left until the planning application is submitted as it may result in the site being undeliverable and therefore Brentwood Borough Council will not be able to meet their housing requirements in respect of these sites.

4. The fact that Red Rose Lane, a narrow country lane, runs East/West to the north of the village seems to have been used to justify the allocations 076 and 077 as appropriate pieces of land.
These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is a narrow country lane and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic. When these sites are viewed in reality rather than on a plan, the area is open countryside and a very important part of the Green Belt.


5. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing.


6. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. In particular, if site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children.


7. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would may result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village.


8. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only.


9. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing.

If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable.

My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council. I urge Brentwood Borough council to reconsider these allocations and retain this important section of Green Belt land. Whilst recognising the pressure for additional housing more assessment should be carried out on brownfield land or within larger settlements which are more accessible with better facilities, or within the larger new Dunton Hills Garden village settlement.

1. I object to the allocations of 076 and 077 on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village which is unsustainable. Of the proposed sites listed in 'Green Belt - Larger Villages' section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village which cannot be justified. In contrast neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development. Blackmore has limited facilities and is fairly isolated from major centres, with poor public transport services.


2. The sites 076 and 077 are Green Belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Green Belt was established to protect the boundary of built development of the village and the open countryside.


3. The proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Site 076 is home to many rare birds which are protected species such as skylark, barn owls and turtle doves which are regular visitors to the field in question.

Turtle doves have been seen and heard on the site for the past 3 years and field 076 is a known breeding site for turtle doves. The turtle dove is a Section 41 species which is of principal importance for conservation of biodiversity; they are vulnerable to global extinction and are identified in the Red List of Endangered Species. They have suffered a 91% UK population decline since 1995. More than half the remaining turtle doves breed in East Anglia with Essex being identified as one of the important 'hotspots'. The loss of this site to housing would inevitably mean the loss of this important breeding site and further loss of appropriate habitat. Turtle doves favour wide undisturbed field margins and this is not the sort of habitat which can be incorporated into housing development. Furthermore, the fact that the site is a breeding site for turtle doves raises the question as to what other species exist there. A detailed assessment of both site 076 and 077 should be undertaken to establish the ecological importance of the sites; such assessments should not be left until the planning application is submitted as it may result in the site being undeliverable and therefore Brentwood Borough Council will not be able to meet their housing requirements in respect of these sites.

4. The fact that Red Rose Lane, a narrow country lane, runs East/West to the north of the village seems to have been used to justify the allocations 076 and 077 as appropriate pieces of land.
These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is a narrow country lane and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic. When these sites are viewed in reality rather than on a plan, the area is open countryside and a very important part of the Green Belt.


5. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing.


6. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. In particular, if site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children.


7. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would may result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village.


8. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only.


9. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing.

If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable.

My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council. I urge Brentwood Borough council to reconsider these allocations and retain this important section of Green Belt land. Whilst recognising the pressure for additional housing more assessment should be carried out on brownfield land or within larger settlements which are more accessible with better facilities, or within the larger new Dunton Hills Garden village settlement.

1. I object to the allocations of 076 and 077 on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village which is unsustainable. Of the proposed sites listed in 'Green Belt - Larger Villages' section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village which cannot be justified. In contrast neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development. Blackmore has limited facilities and is fairly isolated from major centres, with poor public transport services.


2. The sites 076 and 077 are Green Belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Green Belt was established to protect the boundary of built development of the village and the open countryside.


3. The proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Site 076 is home to many rare birds which are protected species such as skylark, barn owls and turtle doves which are regular visitors to the field in question.

Turtle doves have been seen and heard on the site for the past 3 years and field 076 is a known breeding site for turtle doves. The turtle dove is a Section 41 species which is of principal importance for conservation of biodiversity; they are vulnerable to global extinction and are identified in the Red List of Endangered Species. They have suffered a 91% UK population decline since 1995. More than half the remaining turtle doves breed in East Anglia with Essex being identified as one of the important 'hotspots'. The loss of this site to housing would inevitably mean the loss of this important breeding site and further loss of appropriate habitat. Turtle doves favour wide undisturbed field margins and this is not the sort of habitat which can be incorporated into housing development. Furthermore, the fact that the site is a breeding site for turtle doves raises the question as to what other species exist there. A detailed assessment of both site 076 and 077 should be undertaken to establish the ecological importance of the sites; such assessments should not be left until the planning application is submitted as it may result in the site being undeliverable and therefore Brentwood Borough Council will not be able to meet their housing requirements in respect of these sites.

4. The fact that Red Rose Lane, a narrow country lane, runs East/West to the north of the village seems to have been used to justify the allocations 076 and 077 as appropriate pieces of land.
These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is a narrow country lane and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic. When these sites are viewed in reality rather than on a plan, the area is open countryside and a very important part of the Green Belt.


5. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing.


6. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. In particular, if site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children.


7. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would may result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village.


8. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only.


9. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing.

If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable.

My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council. I urge Brentwood Borough council to reconsider these allocations and retain this important section of Green Belt land. Whilst recognising the pressure for additional housing more assessment should be carried out on brownfield land or within larger settlements which are more accessible with better facilities, or within the larger new Dunton Hills Garden village settlement.

1. I object to the allocations of 076 and 077 on grounds of excessive development in Blackmore Village - the proposed sites represent over 28% increase in houses in the village which is unsustainable. Of the proposed sites listed in 'Green Belt - Larger Villages' section of the LDP, nearly 70% of the proposed houses are in Blackmore and Tipps Cross Ward (116 houses out of a total of 169). This is an excessive and unwarranted increase for this small historic village which cannot be justified. In contrast neighbouring villages such as Doddinghurst have no proposed sites for development. Blackmore has limited facilities and is fairly isolated from major centres, with poor public transport services.

2. The sites 076 and 077 are Green Belt fields with the protection that designation provides - development should only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Green Belt was established to protect the boundary of built development of the village and the open countryside.

3. The proposed development will cause degradation of environment and damage to wildlife. Site 076 is home to many rare birds which are protected species such as skylark, barn owls and turtle doves which are regular visitors to the field in question.

Turtle doves have been seen and heard on the site for the past 3 years and field 076 is a known breeding site for turtle doves. The turtle dove is a Section 41 species which is of principal importance for conservation of biodiversity, and they are vulnerable to global extinction. They have suffered a 91% UK population decline since 1995. More than half the remaining turtle doves breed in East Anglia with Essex being identified as one of the important 'hotspots'. The loss of this site to housing would inevitably mean the loss of this important breeding site and further loss of appropriate habitat. Turtle doves favour wide undisturbed field margins and this is not the sort of habitat which can be incorporated into housing development. Furthermore, the fact that the site is a breeding site for turtle doves raises the question as to what other species exist there. A detailed assessment of both site 076 and 077 should be undertaken to establish the ecological importance of the sites; such assessments should not be left until the planning application is submitted as it may result in the site being undeliverable and therefore Brentwood Borough Council will not be able to meet their housing requirements in respect of these sites. It is also within a priority area for the Lapwing bird species and has records of Corn Bunting and Yellow wagtail sightings in the last 10 years which are all protected species under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2010) and Biodiversity Action Plan UK listed species (Please see attachment 1).


4. The site is also recorded as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone as of 2017, which may cause potential problems surface and groundwater contamination as a result of the proposed development (Please see attachment 2 for site designations).


5. The fact that Red Rose Lane, a narrow country lane, runs East/West to the north of the village seems to have been used to justify the allocations 076 and 077 as appropriate pieces of land.
These sites are not self-contained village infill as suggested in the LDP- the sites are on open land outside the village, and the road which is being viewed as a border -Red Rose Lane - is a narrow country lane and unsuitable for anything other than light traffic. When these sites are viewed in reality rather than on a plan, the area is open countryside and a very important part of the Green Belt.


6. Infrastructure - Red Rose Lane which borders the proposed development is a narrow country lane unsuitable for heavy traffic. Blackmore is surrounded by minor roads and is unsuited to the large increase in traffic that this development would bring. There are already problems with parking and congestion around the village shop and this will be greatly exacerbated by the proposed increase in housing.


7. Traffic - access to the sites from Red Rose Lane will be difficult and dangerous due to narrow nature of lane. In particular, if site 076 is accessed through Orchard Piece this will cause greatly increased traffic flow in what is currently a quiet cul-de-sac and will cause a danger and disturbance to current residents and their children.


8. School - Blackmore has a small primary school which is currently at capacity. Proposed development would put excessive pressure on school and facilities, and would result in insufficient spaces being available for the children of the village.


9. Health and transport - no GP surgery within parish boundary, and nearest GP surgery is full to capacity with considerable problems obtaining appointments at short notice. Bus services which link the village to Chelmsford and Brentwood are part time only.


10. Flooding - Red Rose Lane is often subject to flooding in times of heavy rain. A site immediately adjacent to field 076 (site 250 Post Field) was rejected for development on the grounds of flooding and surface water problems. Field 076 is actually lower lying and Red Rose Lane in the area of Red Rose farm has become impassable at times due to flooding. Development would make flooding worse as green field land would be lost to housing and hard-standing.

If the development attempted to address the flooding and surface water issue by the creation of a pond for instance this would make the housing targets undeliverable.




My objections are supported by the response of Blackmore Parish Council. I urge Brentwood Borough council to reconsider these allocations and retain this important section of Green Belt land. Whilst recognising the pressure for additional housing more assessment should be carried out on brownfield land or within larger settlements which are more accessible with better facilities, or within the larger new Dunton Hills Garden village settlement.

A recent study by the CPRE the State of Brownfield 2018, has highlighted that more should be done to develop brownfield rather than release greenbelt for housing.