The Government has finally given the go ahead to a scheme that will see a derelict Mountnessing scrap yard disappear beneath an ambitious new development.

For almost a decade, the residents of Lower Road say they have had to put up with living across the road from the run down site, while also having to watch their road become a rat- run for impatient motorists travelling between the Hutton Industrial Estate and the A12.

A plan to end their suffering by building a 100 bedroom hotel, a petrol station, a convenience store and a restaurant on the site, along with a new access road linking Roman Road and Lower Road, was approved by Brentwood Council back in February.

But as the site falls within the Green Belt, work could not begin until the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions had considered and given its approval to the plans.

Last week, that approval was finally granted, and the decision was warmly welcomed by leader of Brentwood Council David Gottesmann.

He said: "The most important thing for me as the local councillor is that we will be getting that junction sorted out and diverting the traffic coming through from the Hutton Industrial Estate.

"And of course it will also remove the threat of potential pollution from the scrapyard from the site.

"This is good news all round."

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