As agent for the landowners of circa 39 acres of land between Basildon and West Horndon we submit these representations in support of the allocation of land under Policy 7.1 as part of Brentwood's Draft Local Plan.
This policy seeks to allocate land to the east of West Horndon for a new large scale development which will deliver up to 2,500 new homes. The allocation will be required to following the Garden Suburb Principles and a masterplan will be produced to inform the design. We support the inclusion of this policy to meet the Borough's housing needs.
Brentwood Borough Council has previously consulted on a cross boundary development with Basildon Borough Council termed the 'Dunton Garden Suburb'. The document consulted on the potential delivery of between 4,000 to 6,000 new homes, along with new employment land, social infrastructure and public open space. Basildon's Draft Local Plan concluded that this idea has not been progressed due to the lack of technical work undertaken to support the delivery of development in this location despite both council's allocating land identified within the document as an allocation in their Draft Local Plans. National Planning Policy requires Council's to produce a plan based on adequate, up to date and relevant evidence base. It would appear that the inclusion of land in this location would suggest that the evidence base supports its development and therefore we request that the council reconsider the allocation under policy 7.1 and work towards a cross boundary development with Basildon Borough Council.
Large scale development is supported by National Policy. Paragraph 52 of the National Planning Policy Framework states that "the supply of new homes can sometimes be best achieved through planning for large scale development, such as new settlements or extensions to existing villages and towns". It is felt that this approach is relevant to Policy 7.1 as the council have an opportunity to deliver a large scale development which has the ability to deliver new employment land, social infrastructure and open space too.
Our clients' land also benefits from being under Option with Persimmon Homes, therefore demonstrating that the site is deliverable within the plan period and should not be safeguarded for development post 2034.
To ensure that a cohesive development is achieved we urge the council to work with Basildon Borough Council and progress with the idea of a larger cross boundary development in line with the Dunton Garden Suburb proposals. However, should Brentwood Borough Council seek to deliver land in this location separately then we invite the Council to consider our clients' site for development.