FAQs

In the section below, we have answered some of the key questions that you may have regarding the proposed development.

 

  • The current timeline for the project is as follows:
    • September 2025 – Public engagement
    • October 2025 – Review feedback and revise plans
    • Spring 2026 – Submit outline planning application
    • Spring 2027 – Commence detailed design
    • 2028 – Commence construction
    • 2029 – First homes constructed
    • 2030 – Neighbourhood occupied
  • We would like to remind that this is an indicative timeline, is dependent upon discussions with Brentwood Borough Council and is subject to all the necessary permissions being secured.
  • An extensive period of public consultation was undertaken in September and October 2025, during which time:
      • A dedicated consultation website was published, viewed over 1,000 times, with an online feedback form
      • A leaflet was delivered to 768 residential and business address surrounding the site, detailing the proposals, and providing a link to the website and details regarding the consultation events
      • Two public consultation events were held providing the community with the opportunity to speak with the technical experts on the project team regarding the proposals and to provide their feedback
      • Local politicians were kept informed as the project progressed
      • Engagement was facilitated with key stakeholders, including major employers and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Essex
      • A dedicated youth engagement event was delivered, which included a participative design exercise
      • A total of 561 survey responses were received which actively shaped the design evolution and submitted development proposals
  • Key themes raised during this period included:
      • Transport Infrastructure – a need for new sustainable travel options which help alleviate existing congestion on main roads
      • Housing – ensuring availability of new homes and affordable housing in particular
      • Community Facilities – with a focus on health and education services
      • Drainage – protecting present and future communities from flood risk
      • Greenery – the need for green spaces which protect the environment, that are multipurpose and accessible for everyone
      • Identity – a distinct place name for the new development that respects its surroundings and local heritage
      • Community – a sense of place that all residents can feel proud of and safe within
      • Delivery – the need for quality placemaking and a sustainable model of stewardship
  • All of the feedback received has helped to shape the designs in order to meet the community’s identified needs.
  • The pre-submission public consultation has now closed
  • Brentwood Borough Council will soon be undertaking its own statutory consultation process with local residents to understand their views
  • Should you wish to contact us with any questions you may have, you can email us at: HorndonRise@iceniprojects.com
  • Horndon Rise will not retain any agricultural role
  • Nuttys Farm, which is separate to the planning proposals, will remain at the centre of the site. The use of that land is a matter for the landowner to decide upon
  • The proposed new neighbourhood will offer a range benefits to the existing West Horndon community. These include:
    • An increased housing choice, including 50% affordable, so that younger people can rent their first home or get onto the housing ladder, as well as modern energy efficient homes for families and older people
    • Employment opportunities
    • Education and community facilities
    • Public green space and sports facilities
    • A neighbourhood centre with shop
    • Transport upgrades and public transport improvements
    • Walking and cycling routes
    • Restoration of historic landscape features and 10% Biodiversity Net Gain
  • Yes, Horndon Rise comprises a range of homes of differing types and tenures to cater for all – including younger people, growing families and older persons
  • The provision of market homes will be available to all for private purchase
  • The occupation of affordable homes will be decided by Brentwood Borough Council, allocated to those on the local housing register
  • The site is located predominantly in Flood Zone 1, meaning it is at a very low risk of flooding
  • In preparing the planning application, detailed hydrological modelling is being undertaken to strengthen the masterplan – this information will accompany the future outline planning application
  • The emerging masterplan incorporates a drainage strategy that has been designed to ensure Horndon Rise and the surrounding West Horndon Village are not adversely affected
  • Proposed measures include re-routing of existing drainage ditches that have been poorly managed, locating built development in areas that have not been susceptible to surface water and using these locations instead for landscaping and sustainable drainage systems
  • We are aware that a new neighbourhood needs more than just housing to create a sense of community, that’s why we have proposed substantial infrastructure investments at Horndon Rise, including:
    • Dedicated land for a new primary school
    • A neighbourhood centre with the potential for a shop, community hub or flexible workspace
    • A new sports pavilion and playing fields
    • Over 25 hectares of public open space
    • Children’s play areas
    • Community gardens, orchards and allotments
    • A new vehicular access off the A127 to improve highway safety
    • Walking and cycle routes connecting homes to existing and proposed community infrastructure
    • Improved public transport provision, linking homes with job opportunities
  • Horndon Rise was previously promoted in the Brentwood Local Plan 2016-2033, referred to at the time as ‘Nuttys Farm’. During this period, the site was identified as a ‘reasonable alternative’ for growth and a sustainable location
  • Since the adoption of the Local Plan in March 2022, the planning system has changed significantly, with national policies introduced to encourage increased house building, including on Green Belt sites
  • The conditions of the housing market in Brentwood have also changed considerably in this period, with the delivery of homes sharply declining and affordability issues continuing to worsen for local residents
  • Horndon Rise seeks to prioritise sustainable transport modes while addressing existing issues and sensitively managing new traffic generated from the development
  • The proposals include a new vehicular access off the A127 with added junction improvements to efficiently serve both commercial and residential uses
  • HGV movements will be carefully managed to restrict them from the proposed residential areas
  • A new bus shuttle service is proposed to run through the site, connecting homes to the primary school and employment area, and onwards to Station Road and West Horndon Train Station
  • Overall, the proposals aim to transform the local highway network by creating new, safer vehicular access points, significantly improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, enhancing public transport options, and implementing traffic management strategies to support a sustainable and connected community
  • The A127 presents both great opportunities for the new neighbourhood, but also some challenges that the team will need to address
  • The employment buildings on the northern portion of the masterplan will help act as an acoustic buffer to the wider neighbourhood and will be further aided by structural landscaping to protect the homes from noise and air pollution
  • A new access point off the A127 will allow for two existing substandard junctions off Childerditch Lane and Thorndon Avenue to be closed, improving highway safety and creating a more pleasant environment along Thorndon Avenue
  • The A127’s status as an ‘economic growth corridor’ means that Horndon Rise is a highly sustainable location for new jobs, aligning with the ambitions of both Essex County Council and Brentwood Borough Council by contribution to broader regional growth
  • The emerging masterplan seeks to safeguard existing wildlife habitats and maximise opportunities for ecological enhancements to introduce new features
  • This includes a new landscape and drainage corridor running through the masterplan to help create safe connections for local wildlife
  • The landscape-led approach to the masterplan seeks to protect existing hedgerows and aims to restore historic landscape features such as the linear woodland belt, known locally as Barrett’s Shaw
  • Preliminary ecological assessments have shown that the development can achieve 10% Biodiversity Net Gain and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be prepared as part of the planning application. This will include a robust consideration of the environmental effects of the proposals, specifically addressing ecology
  • Yes, the plans have been developed to reflect the wider growth plans in the surrounding area and wider region
  • South Essex has been identified as a national priority growth area for Government, with ambitions for the creation of over 100,000 new jobs by 2050, the construction of 96,000 homes by 2038, and a £15 billion increase in the area’s contribution towards the UK economy. Horndon Rise has the ability to make a meaningful contribution towards these ambitions
  • The proposals account for future transport infrastructure, noting that a new bus route is to be provided by Brentwood Enterprise Park that will link the employment land at Junction 29 of the M25 with West Horndon Station, Dunton Hills Garden Village, and Basildon. This new route is intended to complement existing bus services and the proposals at Horndon Rise will connect into this wider integrated network, linking homes, employment areas, and community facilities.
  • A Outline Construction Management Plan will be developed as part of the planning application to ensure that any potential impacts upon existing residents are managed and mitigated
  • Alongside this, an Environmental Impact Assessment will be prepared to robustly consider the environmental effects, specifically addressing any impact on local residents
  • No, there are no designated archaeological or heritage assets located on site. However, the proposals have been designed with careful consideration of the historical context and numerous heritage assets in the surrounding area and wider landscape. This includes the landscape-led approach which aims to restore historic landscape features such as Barrett’s Shaw
  • An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be prepared to robustly consider the environmental effects, specifically addressing archaeology and heritage.
  • A Heritage Assessment and a Landscape Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) will also be prepared, considering potential impacts on the landscape character and visual amenity, including in relation to wider heritage assets.