Brentwood’s name is derived from ‘Burnt Wood’, referring to a clearing made in the dense forest covering this part of Essex by a fire. Over time, it became a stopping point for pilgrims travelling to Canterbury and the remains of a 12th Century chapel in the town centre bear testimony to this. When Henry III granted a royal charter to hold markets, Brentwood developed into a place of commerce and today, its bustling High Street and surrounding roads reflects that this is still a well-to-do town, yet surrounded by beautiful open spaces and historic locations to explore. 

The Borough of Brentwood is situated in the south west of the county of Essex, immediately to the east of the Greater London Metropolitan area, and is located entirely within the Metropolitan Green Belt. This proximity to London means that the Borough is well located in relation to the national and regional road and rail networks. The town of Brentwood is separated from Greater London by a narrow gap of open land through which passes the M25 Motorway. The other main route corridors tend to focus on London, with the A12 running through the centre of the Borough between Central London and East Anglia, and the A127 linking Central London to Southend and South Essex. Similarly rail connections link Central London to Ipswich and Norwich (with local stations at Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone) and Southend (with a local station at West Horndon).

Brentwood’s attractive location is enhanced by the quality of the local environment. Less than 20% of the Borough is built-up. Brentwood Town itself has a well landscaped character, which softens the impact of the built environment and enhances the visual quality of the town. There are a number of important green wedges reaching into the built-up area, two of which extend right to the centre of the town - Hartswood/Shenfield Common, and the Brentwood School/former Anglia Polytechnic University Playing Fields. Thriftwood is also an extensive area of woodland set within the town. The remainder of the Borough is predominantly in agricultural use, but much of the rural area is characterised by an attractive rolling landscape incorporating small woodlands, hedgerows and trees.

Brentwood Borough Council	Local guidance	Countywide / Subregional	Not currently available
Local Development Plan
Adopted Local Plan	●
Draft Local Plan	●
Development Viability
Developer Contributions			●
Greater Essex Growth and Infrastructure Framework (GIF)		●
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)	●
Development and Urban Design
Neighbourhood planning	●
Planning Policy	●
Design Guidance	●
Parking Policy	●
Health and Wellbeing
Health Impact Assessment(HIA)		●
Accessible and Adaptable Dwellings		●
National Space Standards	●	●
Essex Insight Public Health Profile		●
Open Space Appraisal			●
Open Space Strategy	●
Playing Pitch Assessment	●
Climate Change and Flood Risk
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)	●
Water Cycle Study	●
Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP)	●	●
Sustainable Drainage Systems Design Guide		●
Environment Quality
Landscape Character Assessment	●
Green Space Strategy	●
Historic Characterisation			●
Local Wildlife Site Review	●
Conservation Appraisal	●
Transport and Communications Infrastructure
Highways Standards	●
Cycling Strategy	●	●
Local Transport Plan		●
Protected Lanes	●
Economy & Retails
Economic Development Needs Assessment (EDNA)	●
Retail Needs Assessment	●
Housing
Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA)	●
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)	●
Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment	●	●
Green Belt
Green Belt Functions Assessment	●
Green Belt Landscape Assessment			●
Green Belt Boundary Review			●