Yahoo News Negotiations over 4,000-home Essex garden community development extended by 3 months
Details around developer contributions to reduce the impact on Brentwood's large garden community are close to being resolved, the council has said. The council has agreed to extend the time to allow negotiations around section 106 contributions for the Dunton Hills Garden Village by three months.
Brentwood Borough Council passed outline proposals for the development, which could eventually grow to around 4,000 homes, on November 29, 2023. Officers estimated s106 agreements - outlining the conditions the developer must meet to reduce the impact of their development on the local community and infrastructure - could be completed within a year.
Chairman of the planning committee, Councillor Phil Mynott, said: “We're doing this because a year ago, we agreed to have a year extension in order to get section 106 sorted out. The Section 106 is still being discussed. It's relatively close to the end but we've certainly got some more presentations which need to happen for members.
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"Because as members we obviously need to be aware, we want to be involved in the discussions as to where the section 106 money for the Dunton Hills application will be spent. And we're conscious of the fact that if it can't be spent in one location as far as one area is concerned, it has to be spent elsewhere.
"So that's an important discussion and it needs to be done properly. And therefore, we need to have the time to do it rather than being forced to come to conclusions before the best solutions have been worked out.”
The plans also earmark a village centre, including a market square, community building, healthcare provision, a pub, and takeaways. Sitting alongside it is set to be a cricket ground and a football hub. However, concerns have been raised about the impact on nearby West Horndon, which is also set to see 2,000 homes being built near the station.
Both plans would equate to more than half of Brentwood’s housing allocation up to 2033, totalling 7,752 homes that will all be built in the West Horndon area.
