I AM prompted to write to you following my old friend Paul Ryland’s letter on the subject of Braintree Council’ s intended development of Braintree town centre.

The project is one of three proposed some years ago for each of the three major towns of Halstead, Braintree and Witham.

The Halstead scheme failed to come to anything as the proposal involved a difficult land assembly and highway issues which could not be resolved.

Braintree Council did not hold a stake in the land and therefore could not influence matters wh en the landowners chose not to favour the council’s ideas.

The scheme for Witham involved major changes to the aged shopping precinct, but it relied totally on the investor holding the property having a similar view to the council.

It is apparent the investor did not see the scheme as viable and the scheme quietly died.

The Braintree scheme wasalways different from the other two as it based on land owned by the council.

However, it was the same in one respect, as it was envisaged the development would be funded by a development partner, for a long time intended to be Bovis.

This is no longer the case as Bovis withdrew and a replacement could not be found.

Braintree Council’ s intention nowistodevelopandfund the scheme itself.

The loss of the schemes for Hal- steadandWithamdidnotcauseany undue concer n to Braintree Coun- cil wh ich tends to confir m the view of many that the real goal was the Braintree scheme andtheothertwo schemes existed only to satisfy the need for apparent even-handedness between the three towns.

That view was reinforced by use of the term of “Graham Butland’ s Legacy” being used by at least one senior officer of Braintree Council in respect of the Braintree scheme .

As someone who has spent the major part of their working life in proper ty development and invest- ment I am fearful of the course that Braintree Council is set on, but will hold fire on comment on the detailed town centre scheme until havingviewedthepublic exhibition later this week.

Brian Cutmore The Avenue, Braintree