Brentwood council gives green light to 3,700-home garden village scheme

Brentwood council has approved an outline planning application for the development of up to 3,700 homes in Dunton, a village west of Basildon, Essex.

The Commercial Estates Group (CEG) Land Promotions submitted a planning application in August 2021 with the landowners, proposing to build 3,700 homes, of which 555 homes will be for social or affordable rent and a further 555 homes for shared ownership.

Dunton Hills Garden Village (DHGV) was designated by the government as one of 14 garden villages in January 2017, and is identified in the emerging Brentwood Borough Local Plan as a strategic housing allocation to meet the majority of the borough’s housing need. 

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The framework masterplan document was prepared by CEG Land Promotions, who own the majority of DHGV site, along with other landowners. Brentwood Borough Council then instructed HTA Design architecture firm to draft a supplementary planning document. 

Lichfields is supporting CEG and the landowners in bringing forward this proposed development. Broadway Malyan produced the framework masterplan for CEG.

The scheme will provide up to 3,700 homes, three 80-bedroom care homes, five gypsy and traveller pitches, a secondary or all-through school with a sports hub and up to three primary schools.

The development will also deliver an employment hub, a children’s nursery of 400sq m, and village centre with a market square and up-to 10,400sqm of retail and office spaces. 

The site is located between the A127 and the c2c line between London Fenchurch Street and Southend-on-Sea.

Dunton Hills was removed from the green belt in the Brentwood Local Plan 2022 and was allocated for development.

In the 2019 local plan, it was noted that Brentwood’s largely rural setting within the green belt, comprising 89% of the borough, limited the availability of brownfield land.