A long-awaited hotel, leisure centre and restaurant complex is a step closer to becoming a reality now that the owners of the site have submitted details of a proposed new access road.

The Carroll Group, which owns the former Mountnessing scrapyard site, is asking Brentwood Borough Council to approve the details of a proposed access road from Roman Road to Lower Road.

Councillors decided the access road should be a 'reserved matter' when they granted outline planning permission for the multi-million complex.

The scrapyard site bordering Roman Road, Chelmsford Road and Lower Road has been earmarked for a hotel and leisure development for almost four years.

It was previously owned by Sainsbury's which sought permission for a giant store.

Residents have campaigned for years for something to be done about the site which was once regarded as a festering eyesore and a blight on the village.

Last year the Carroll Group completed decontamination work, flood measures and levelling in readiness for the hotel development.

This January planning chiefs gave them another three years to get their scheme off the ground.

Published Friday July 23, 2004

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