THE leader of Brentwood Borough Council has warned critics of the cinema and retail complex development at William Hunter Way against making "dangerous" assumptions about the project.
Louise McKinlay said speculation about the ins and outs of the authority's discussions with Stockland, the Australian developer behind the project, was not helpful given that these negotiations "are necessarily subject to commercial confidentiality".
She added that it was crucial that the council took the time to make sure any deal concluded between the two parties was "the very best for Brentwood", given the fact that the project will be "one of the biggest ever improvements to the town" when it is completed, hopefully by the end of 2014.
Mrs McKinlay spoke to the Gazette in response to claims that Stockland wants to reduce the amount it would pay the council from £325,000 per year to £225,000 a year for the first 15 years following the conclusion of the development.
Separately, a council spokesman said the authority was in "no different a position" from when it began its partnership with Stockland in 2007. He said: "Details of all components of the deal are being finalised.
"The final proposal will only be signed and finalised if it works for Brentwood.
"If it is not in Brentwood's interest to sign, we won't."
As previously reported in the Gazette, Councillor Mike Le-Surf, the leader of the borough council's minority Labour group, has invoked a little-used piece of legislation known as Standing Order 1.4 to publicly quiz the authority about the project at the town hall on November 26.
Yet Mrs McKinlay said this week: "It is dangerous to look at one single and speculative component of the deal and make assumptions, as has been happening.
"Once we have all of the detail and a firm proposal, I will be bringing it first to the cross-party group for review and ultimately on to full council for final approval."
The Tory councillor, who represents Hutton North, added: "The development of William Hunter Way will be one of the biggest ever improvements to our town and that is why it is crucial to make sure we get the very best for Brentwood."
It is hoped that work on the project will begin next summer, although the council is under contract to negotiate with Stockland until December 2013.
When asked if the authority could walk away from any deal before then, Mrs McKinlay replied: "We are legally committed to the current deal until December 2013 and we expect progress before then."
The council spokesman added: "Pulling out before then is legally not an option."
Ongoing discussions between the council and the developer cover, among other things, parking both during the construction period and once the scheme is completed.
"No one part of the scheme should be considered in isolation but the overall proposals looked at in their entirety, once we have them," the spokesman said.
Mrs McKinlay added that it was "important to remember" that a final decision on the deal between the authority and the developer will be taken by full council.
Cllr Keith Parker, the chairman of the council's parking, borough project liaison and highways localism panel, concluded: "Brentwood residents want to see a cinema in the town and that's what we're working towards delivering."
