Inquiry call

OPPOSITION to the proposed William Hunter Way development is to be sent to the Secretary of State for the Environment.

Details of more than 1,000 people opposing the scheme have been sent to Barry Aspinell, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Approval for the application, which includes a cinema, shops, multi-storey car park and flats, was passed by Brentwood Council on Wednesday, February 25.

Mr Aspinell explained there had been no significant environmental impact study into the development and no borough-wide consultation with residents.

He said: "We're requesting that the Secretary of State for Environment call this scheme in and that he will get an inspector to hold a full inquiry.

"People are totally bemused as to how something so outrageous and so obviously out of keeping with the rest of the town can receive approval from a group of councillors.

"There's a weight of evidence showing people are against this scheme.

"One of the reasons it has been approved is because the council has ignored the residents and the evidence."

The Conservative-led administration feels the development will be good news for the area.