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Homes set for hospital site (From Brentwood Weekly News)
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Homes set for hospital site
7:30am Friday 5th February 2010
HUNDREDS of homes could be built on a Brentwood town centre hospital after it was sold for £12million.
Bellway Homes wants to build 217 flats and houses at Highwood Hospital, in Geary Drive, Brentwood.
The annoucement comes after the NHS South West Essex Trust sold the developer the 28-acre hospital site, which is the size of about 14 football pitches.
Forthcoming public meetings will showcase the plans.
Residents are to be sent 3,000 letters by the end of next week, informing them of the large housing scheme.
Russell Quirk, Brentwood ward councillor, said he was worried about the size of the development and would be watching how it progressed.
He said: “I’m concerned about the possible overcrowding of homes on the site, as well as the effect it could have on the roads.
“I will be interested to see what highways officers will say about it.
“We will be asking the developers for contributions to the local area, for things like play areas and education facilities.
“If they’re going to bring in 217 families from elsewhere, they should contribute to the funding of the families.”
Under the provisional plans, 113 of the homes would be built on the north end of the site.
Meanwhile, the south end will contain 69 flats converted from existing Victorian buildings and 35 new homes.
Hedgerows Nursing Home and Highwood Surgery, housed in three on-site bungalows, will stay.
The hospital was made a conservation area by Brentwood Council in 2001, meaning Bellway will have to meet strict conditions.
The council is expected to receive a planning application from Bellway by the end of March, when planners will have 13 weeks to consider them.
Richard Burrows, Bellway Essex managing director, said the firm understood the importance of the site.
He said: “We want our plans to enchance the conservation area by preserving historical buildings and creating new public spaces, at the same time as providing family housing for Brentwood, as set out in the borough’s local plan.”
A public exhibition of the plans will take place at St Georges Church hall, in Ongar Road, Brentwood, on Saturday, February 13, between 11am and 4pm.
A second exhibition will take place at the hall on Thursday, February 18, between 4pm and 8pm.
