Comment

Representation ID: 5547

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

Duty to Cooperate ECC supports paragraph 1.17 of the consultation document identifying the need to cooperate with Essex ECC. In accordance with the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 ECC offers to contribute cooperatively with Brentwood Borough Council in the preparation of the New Local Plan through to examination. It is considered that this will include assisting with assessment of the impact on the transport and highway network, and the need for additional school places, amongst other matters, in the identification of a preferred spatial strategy. (see full rep for further detail)

Comment

Representation ID: 5548

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

A specific concern includes reference to new junctions on the strategic road network, for example the new junction promoted on the A12 as part of the suggested site at the Brentwood Centre (ref 089) within Figure 10, in the absence of supporting evidence.

Comment

Representation ID: 5549

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

Base ECC has specific concerns regarding the lack of available evidence base to inform and shape the Spatial Growth Options report. The report has been published in the absence of supporting evidence contrary to the statements within Paragraphs 1.11 to 1.13 emphasising the NPPF requirements on the importance of positively prepared plans, informed by robust up to date evidence. Any proposed strategy is of particular importance to ECC as it will need to be satisfied that the impact of any planned scale and distribution of growth can be accommodated by ECC areas of responsibility, or identify what additional facilities or mitigation is required to make the strategy sustainable in social, economic and environmental grounds. (See full rep for further details)

Support

Representation ID: 5551

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

ECC agrees the following Strategic Objectives (para 1.24) and that these should be a key component of any emerging strategy.

Comment

Representation ID: 5552

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

ECC's preference is for any implications of development on the Metropolitan Green Belt to be progressed through the local plan process, to ensure the release of land is based on a consistent, sound and robust approach in accordance with the NPPF.

ECC recommended a comprehensive review of Brentwood's Green Belt boundaries be carried out to ensure the most appropriate long term strategy is progressed. Any review should cover all three broad areas within the Strategic Growth Options so all appropriate options for growth are considered in terms of the scale of development.

Comment

Representation ID: 5553

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

ECC maintains its previous comments seeking further evidence and investigation on the impacts of Crossrail and other related infrastructure projects on the scale and distribution of the growth options within the Local Plan. Consideration should be given to the implications of options arising from Crossrail to accommodate some of the uplift in housing, as well as the relationship with the potential growth options to the south of the borough.

Comment

Representation ID: 5554

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

ECC requires the emerging local plan and supporting evidence to clearly address the viability and deliverability of the Local Plan, including the provision, commitment and timing of infrastructure. It is imperative that the costs of providing infrastructure as a direct result of development proposals, particularly those related to early years and childcare, primary and secondary schools, and highways, for which ECC has a statutory responsibility, are included in the viability assessment from the outset, to ensure provision is guaranteed. It would not be acceptable to only secure land for education purposes without the necessary and full financial contributions as it is deemed unviable. The mitigation should not be at the cost of ECC as a service provider.

Comment

Representation ID: 5555

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

ECC will continue to work with Brentwood BC to ensure that there is sufficient childcare to provide advice regarding the current provision of early years and childcare provision and future requirements once a preferred strategy has been identified.

Comment

Representation ID: 5556

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

Reference is made to education requirements in paragraph 6.4 regarding the potential need for new primary school (s), along with the remodelling and expansion of existing schools and early years and childcare facilities.

A high level view has been provided with regards the current capacity at existing primary and secondary schools with regards the three Options. The more detailed requirements for additional primary; secondary school and early years and childcare places that would be required to accommodate pupils from future growth will be ascertained at the point that there was an indication of the number of dwellings to be built and the likely housing mix

Comment

Representation ID: 5557

Received: 20/02/2015

Respondent: Essex County Council

Current projections for the demand for Extra Care accommodation using nationally accepted benchmarks indicates an existing shortfall in Brentwood Borough of circa 150 units. ECC is concerned that from the list of suggested sites in Appendix 1, that it appears no sites have been identified for Extra Care accommodation and therefore delivery of this essential care provision could be put at risk.