Plans in place to transform Brentwood's 'eyesore' gateway

PLANS are afoot to transform Brentwood's ugly gateway into an enticing entrance to the borough's leafy streets and roads.

Ever since the M25 was completed in 1986 the most westerly part of the borough has been more readily recognised for its dilapidated buildings, large expanses of grey concrete and litter caught in overgrown and unkempt vegetation.

For years the Brook Street roundabout has been a blot on the borough's landscape. Motorists' first impressions are marred by the overwhelming feeling of arriving in a forgotten corner of the Soviet Union.

But now the Brentwood Gazette is teaming up with Brentwood Borough Council to help give Brook Street a much-needed makeover.

Some of the ideas that could renovate not just the roundabout itself, but the sides of Brook Street close to the Holiday Inn hotel, include inviting schools to design a new look, sponsoring the roundabout and using volunteers to clear up litter and plant new trees.

"The first sight of Brentwood for motorists leaving the M25 at Junction 28 is something of an eyesore," said Councillor Ann Coe, ward councillor for the area, "and it's time for a clean-up."

Money from her ward budget is to be spent on giving the M25 gateway to Brentwood a spruce-up.

Other ideas have come flooding in from the town's Chamber of Commerce chairman Clive Othen, who advocates better signs promoting the borough's medieval market history.

For several years the cottages adjacent to the Shell garage have epitomised Brentwood's drab westerly entrance.

But the borough council is unaware of who owns the semi-detached properties, believing them to be in private ownership.

"The cottages just off the Brook Street roundabout are looking very dilapidated and the owners need to tidy them up," Councillor Coe said.

"They have been vandalised and there is too much litter lying about.

"The image visitors, and our residents see on exiting the roundabout is appalling and I would really like this area to be more pleasing to the eye."

Councillor Coe is not the only person who is distressed by the condition of the area, and is hoping to involve local people from her ward in a community clean-up day.

"My local primary school head teacher thought that the children may be involved at some point, litter-picking or planting daffodil bulbs ready for next year.

"I have applied for funding through my ward budget, and will be also looking elsewhere for sponsorship to get this area cleaned up.

"If you would like to help in our efforts, please do get in touch."

A borough council spokesman added: "The cottages are not owned by Brentwood Borough Council.

"We assume the cottages are in private ownership but we don't know who owns them.

"The land and surrounding land is the responsibility of Essex County Council. We are aware though that the area is one of the main routes to enter the borough and we have in the past raised the issue of illegal parking on the land with SEPP (South Essex Parking Partnership) and Essex County Council. We are happy to enter into discussion with any other parties about how the area can be improved."

KEITH Parker, chairman of Brentwood Borough Council's highways panel, says the redundant part of Brook Street that forms a cul-de-sac next the Shell garage needs special attention.

The area is often used for long-term parking, as a layover point for HGVs and also for vehicle maintenance.

It is currently protected by a Prohibition of Waiting Order, meaning drivers will be ticketed if caught parking, but the council admits only minimal enforcement can be provided with the number of wardens.

Councillor Parker said: "This has been on our radar for some time.

"The first thing we need to do is sort out the cottages, which have now been bought.

"Maybe we should have bought them ourselves, but it was always the feeling that no-one was ever going to buy them.

"The problem is more and more people use it as a lay-by. What we could do is put bollards in to stop people parking down there but that is now not going to work while the cottages are in private hands because the owners have a right to access."

IT'S time for action, says Clive Othen, chairman of Brentwood Chamber of Commerce.

He wants schools across the borough to come up with their own ideas to transform the Brook Street roundabout.

Mr Othen said there was a plethora of measures that could be undertaken to make sure Brentwood keeps Brook Street beautiful.

Mr Othen, who lives in Oliver Road, Shenfield, told the Gazette: "At the end of the day it is a large motorway junction but something has to done to make it better than it is at the moment.

"First of all I would very much like to see better signage advertising the town.

"We have a good selling point with Brentwood being an ancient market town and we could even have brown signs advertising the its history at the junction.

"That would really help Brentwood and its plans for a bigger market.

"We've been talking to the council and we really want to promote Brentwood through its market history."

Mr Othen, a father of three, said he would also like to see schools involved, not just by taking part in council-organised litter picks, but by maybe taking part in a competition to design a new landscape for the area and their ideas how to improve the area.

"I don't know how practical it would be but we could even get sponsorship for the roundabout to help pay for its continued upkeep," said Mr Othen, the chamber chair since May 2011.

A HIGHWAYS Agency spokesman said: "With bigger roundabouts like Brook Street it's about the costs.

"We have to make sure that the signs are of a right specificity and that can start to increase the costs and make the whole plan unprofitable and not worthwhile.

"Safety for both road users and road workers is a top priority, and clearing litter from along the carriageway can put workers at risk.

"We have a routine programme for litter and vegetation clearance and are next due to be at the M25 junction 28 at the end of April.

"In the meantime we ask road users to play their part.

"Litter isn't just unsightly – it can cause accidents, block drains and present a danger to wildlife. The agency estimates that it costs £10 million of taxpayers' money each year to collect litter from motorways.

"This money could be far better spent on priorities such as road maintenance and safety improvements.

"We all have a part to play in tackling roadside litter – bag it, bin it!"