I wish to make representation regarding the above and in particular the Preferred Housing Allocations of the Local Development Plan's draft version, and the site referred to as "Land at Hunter House, Western Road, Brentwood", which is site ref 041. Hunter House is the office/small business unit opposite my property on the corner of William Hunter Way and Western Road and it is suggested that it could be redeveloped to provide 22 dwellings.

Although I have no objection in principal to a change of use to residential I am however horrified at the density of 100dph suggested. This high density would lead me to believe that there would be little or no amenity space, certainly no gardens and probably no off road parking provision, which to me sounds like flats. It could perhaps at this density be terraced houses at a pinch, but the lack of amenity space would concern me greatly.

I am conscience that the Borough and the country as a whole has a great housing shortage, but I feel that the density proposed should be reconsidered to nearer 50dph.

If off street parking were to be provided, it would of course increase the traffic movements on this already overloaded road, however if no off street parking were provided we are back to on street parking of which there is a shortage. Other recent high density developments in the town have included planning conditions which restrict the residents from having residents parking permits, so where will the new occupiers, who will already have cars, (people buy cars before houses) park?

With the threat of the William Hunter Way development and the noise and disturbance that we already suffer at closing time from the Swan, the Sugar Hut and other hostelries in the town, together with the volume of HGV traffic that we and the structure of the road now suffer, I would doubt if residential properties would be saleable. They certainly would hardly be "affordable".

Could the properties be affordable? The lower the density, the less affordable the properties will become, but to provide accommodation in newly built flats and tiny units is not the solution to our housing shortage. They are not the environment in which to bring up children and a shortage of amenity and open spaces will only add to overcrowding and late night unsocial behaviour, so all in all I think it is an unsuitable site for residential use. I certainly wouldn't want a 3 or 4 storey block of flats opposite my property as there is a great danger of overlooking, particularly at night time.

I note that the houses No's 10 and 12 Western Road are to be included so is that a loss of 2 units to gain 22, or has the density actually increased to 24dph? These were of course once council houses, like our own, but unfortunately not too well cared for at present, and as far as I can ascertain from the amount of cars parked on the front of No 12 it appears to be in multiple occupation already.

I don't think the potential loss of the employment opportunity is a big problem as there is of course plenty of empty office space available to rent in and around the town, there is also ample scope for their conversion to residential, with ample parking, but this does not appear to have been considered in your plan.

On the above grounds I object to the proposals as they stand.

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