A £1bn joint venture to deliver new homes, public spaces and local facilities has been agreed between Brentwood Borough Council and Morgan Sindall Investments.

The Brentwood Development Partnership will deliver a programme of developments over the next 30 years.

The council will contract through its wholly owned property company, Seven Arches Investments Ltd.

It will also act as a central purchasing body through which other local contracting authorities in Essex can procure a similar partnership with Morgan Sindall Investments.

Leader of the council, cllr Chris Hossack, said: ‘This approach to delivering new investment will allow us to retain control over how our land is developed, as well as the rate and extent of that development.

‘It is a real opportunity to allow the community to thrive and grow, and by redeveloping the borough over the longer-term we will be helping to improve the lives of people living and working here.’