Residents plagued by parking problems protest at planned flats

ONE of the most overcrowded areas of Brentwood is in danger of become a ghetto, warn residents already struggling with inadequate car parking.

Developer Taylor Wimpey wants to build 71 flats on a green patch next to St James Road and Station Approach, even though permission has been granted for more than 400 flats in the area already.

If the application for the seven-storey block with 40 parking spaces gets the go-ahead, the total number of homes around the former gasworks site in Rollason Way, St James Road and Wharf Road will exceed 500.

The average number of car parking spaces per household is already less than one.

Julia Smith, who has lived in Railway Square for the past seven years, said speeding traffic and increasingly large groups of youths roaming the area is making life miserable for residents.

"It's going to turn into a ghetto. I can't believe the council are being so naive. They need to come and have a look before they pass more applications.

"To keep building in this small area is crazy."

Debbie Lipman-Collins, who has lived in Brooking House for the past 18 months, is exasperated that developers are prepared to worsen the parking problem.

She said: "We bought the property owning two cars, knowing it only had one space but the developers said Rollason Way would be set aside for cars. A couple of months later they put barriers down preventing us parking."

Paul Downie, who lives in Rollason Way, said: "While I don't actually drive, it is nice to be able to tell visiting friends and family members where they can park.

"What's more, the planned flats are to go on what has, so far, been the only bit of greenery in the area."

The proposed flats will sit alongside a major building scheme by Crest Nicholson which last month was given permission to build 53 flats in addition to the 350 it is already constructing.

Karen Chilvers, who is on Brentwood council's planning committee, said development has to stop. She said: "We have had to introduce clamping in the area.

"Residents are already coming to terms with last month's decision in Rollason Way and this will hit them hard.

"It's is ridiculous this small area could have more than 500 homes when the entire parish of South Weald only has 700."