Hopefield Animal Sanctuary is pleased to provide comments on the Brentwood Draft Local Plan which is currently at formal public consultation.
The animal sanctuary is located to the north east of Brentwood Town centre, along Sawyers Hall Lane, and has been in operation for the last 25 years.
We are a popular and important local community facility but only have a leasehold interest in the site that expires in 2022 and are keen to secure a long-term more certain future.
A residential allocation in the Local Plan on the Sawyers Hall Lane site will help achieve this objective as it will provide the framework on which Tesco can guarantee our ongoing freehold occupation on part of the site in addition to providing us with a freehold replacement site.
We have a good working relationship with Tesco and agree that the site is capable of accommodating up to 450 new homes in addition to retaining and improving the Hopefield visitor facilities, stables and some grazing land.
Under these proposals, Tesco would also replace the lost grazing land with an additional freehold site in another suitable location. We consider these off-site arrangements acceptable and have recently had detailed discussions with them on a site within their ownership that we would be prepared to move to.
Securing our long term future and the operation of the animal sanctuary is our main priority and we urge the Council to recognise that this is a once in a generation opportunity for the sanctuary and one that we hope can be fulfilled.
Given that the site has previously been identified as a potential housing site, we wholeheartedly support the proposals currently being prepared by Tesco Stores Limited.