ESSEX County Council has been warned large housing developments planned for Brentwood will lead to commuter gridlock if it does not implement satisfactory mitigation. Shenfield Liberal Democrat Councillor David Worsfold has written to Tom Cunningham, Essex County Council’s Cabinet member for highways, to demand action to prevent traffic chaos on Chelmsford Road – the A1023 – when the huge development works start reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
Four developers, Croudace Homes, Redrow Homes, Countryside Properties, and Stonebond Properties, all have house-building projects in the local area. Besides the nearly 350 homes being built between Countryside and Redrow, Croudace has permission for 344 homes and a new primary school, while Stonebond has permission for 38 new homes.
As a result of the developments that will be taking place along the A1023 between the Mountnessing interchange and Alexander Lane significant remodelling of the roads is set to take place. These include five junctions exiting onto Chelmsford Road, one a mini-roundabout along with three crossings, one linked to the Hutton Football Club facility.
In addition, in Alexander Lane highways works are also pending. These include three junctions exiting onto the lane very close to each other, one crossing and a chicane along the lower part of Alexander Lane.
Councillor Worsfold said: “We now have four significant developments with planning permission that will be built along Chelmsford Road, with a series of five junctions and roundabouts needing to be constructed between the Mountnessing interchange and Alexander Lane.
“These have the potential to cause traffic chaos on what is a busy road. The developers cannot be allowed to work to their own timetable. This must be managed by Essex Highways. This is already a very busy road, with queuing traffic most mornings and evenings.
“Failure to get to grips with this will result in traffic chaos for months. Not only will this be hugely inconvenient to residents, visitors to Shenfield and Brentwood and damaging to local businesses, but it will also be dangerous.”
Brentwood Liberal Democrats are worried there will be traffic queues back across the Mountnessing interchange, which will, in turn, cause queues to form on the slip roads from the A12, affecting nearby Shenfield, Hutton and Mountnessing. Brentwood Council’s local housing plan actually allocated as many as 825 homes for this area, although ultimately, slightly fewer than this have been given permission.
The Shenfield developments are a significant part of the council’s path to delivering its housing quota —three years ago, the council signed off on its local plan, which designated where a total of 7,146 homes would be built in the borough by 2033.
Councillor Worsfold said: “I do not want to hear any feeble excuses about not being able to get developers to work together. That is not acceptable. It is our road, our town and our community. They must be told that co-operation to avoid chaos is essential.”
Leader of Brentwood Borough Council and Lib Dem county councillor Barry Aspinell added: “The most disruptive works, which will involve contra-flows and temporary traffic lights, must be carried out in the school holidays. This is just common sense—any other timing risk would cause complete gridlock.”
A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “We are aware of concerns about upcoming works on Chelmsford Road on the A1023 and will investigate to help address them as soon as possible.”
