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My Brolly

We have started to roll out our customer portal called My Brolly and you can access it using the button above.

 

This allows you to report repairs, manage your payments, and raise a general query on top of other useful features.

 

You will be sent an email with your login details when we are ready to sign you up. Until you have this, unfortunately you won’t have access to My Brolly.

 

We hope to provide access to most customers soon.

Essex Local Area Guide

Developments

Essex Local Area Guide

17 February 2026

With more and more working professionals and families moving out of London, Essex has become an incredibly popular place to live in the UK. The county is actually the second-most populous county in the UK, and a blend of dense woodland and historic towns like Colchester makes it an appealing, varied place to live. 

Essex is also home to our new Shared Ownership development: Bentley Gardens. Situated on the outskirts of Basildon, Bentley Gardens is in a prime position for both commuters into London, and homeowners wanting to enjoy everything that Essex has to offer.  

Our new development offers a range of 2- and 3-bedroom houses, perfect for young professionals or growing families who want to get on the property ladder with Shared Ownership.
To give you a better idea of what living in Bentley Gardens could look like, we’ve compiled this extensive Essex area guide to highlight nearby restaurants, shops, and things to do once you move into your new home.

Things to do in Essex

Essex Fire Museum

Image: Visit Essex

There are plenty of things to see and do around Bentley Gardens, with Basildon, Billericay, and Brentwood right on your doorstep. For family days out, you could start with Barleylands; a farm park with animals to see, parks to play on, and attractions aimed at younger visitors.   

Venturing south, a short 20-minute drive into Grays, you’ll find the Essex Fire Museum. Visitors can get insight into how firefighting has evolved over the years, and there are a number of restaurants in Grays, like The Sandmartin, to enjoy lunch as part of your day out.  

   

Best restaurants in Essex

Image: Enya Basildon

Your new Shared Ownership home in Bentley Gardens comes equipped with modern kitchen appliances and the space to prepare delicious meals, but if you don’t fancy cooking every night, there are plenty of tempting places to eat in Essex – no matter what you’re in the mood for. Here are some of our top places to eat in Basildon and the area surrounding your new home: 

Shopping and entertainment

Festival Leisure Park

Image: Essex Life

Whether you’re looking for places to eat in Essex or popular shops that source anything you could want, there are a number of sizable shopping centres and outlets on your doorstep at Bentley Gardens. 

Just three miles away, you’ll find Eastgate Shopping Centre, which is filled with familiar stores to buy gifts, refresh your wardrobe, or just do some window shopping and pass the time. Big brands like HMV, JD Sports, and Smiggle can be found alongside a wide range of eateries. 

For everyday purchases, the Mayflower Shopping Park is on the northern edge of Basildon and can be reached in 10 minutes by car. Here you’ll find reliable favourites like M&S, Dunelm, and Home Bargains to stock up on household regulars whenever you need. 

If you’re looking for all-in-one entertainment, the Festival Leisure Park could be your best bet. Located a short drive from Bentley Gardens, this facility boasts a Cineworld cinema, Hollywood Bowl, Mr Mulligans adventure golf course, and a wide range of popular restaurants like Slim Chickens, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s – perfect for a date night, family trip, or solo adventure to unwind. 

Education

For families moving into Bentley Gardens, you’ll find a number of excellent Basildon primary schools and secondary schools catering to children of all ages. With an increasing number of millennials choosing Shared Ownership for their forever home, it could be worth planning ahead, even if a family isn’t on the cards right now.  

  • Millhouse Primary School – 2.0 miles | Ofsted: Good
  • Noak Bridge Primary School – 2.7 miles | Ofsted: Good
  • The Phoenix Primary School – 2.9 miles | Ofsted: Good
  • Laindon Park Primary School – 3.0 miles | Ofsted: Good
  • The James Hornsby Secondary School – 3.0 miles | Ofsted: Good
  • Janet Duke Primary School – 3.2 miles | Ofsted: Good
  • St Anne Line Catholic Juniors School – 3.7 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding
  • Ghyllgrove Primary School – 3.8 miles | Ofsted: Good

Outdoor space

Image: Langdon Nature Discovery Park

Living at Bentley Gardens, you’ll have lots of green space, parks, and woodland to explore at weekends and in the long summer evenings.

The Noak Bridge Nature Reserve is a 7-minute drive away, which consists of 20 acres of mixed grassland, scrub, developing woodland, and small ponds. Visitors can discover a wide range of insects and woodland creatures, and lots of the scrub within the reserve provides nesting for birds such as blackcap, white throat, and chiffchaff. 

Travel slightly south of your new home, and you’ll find Langdon Nature Discovery Park. This is the largest inland nature reserve managed by Essex Wildlife Trust, coming in at 210 hectares and featuring grazing animals like sheep, cows, and goats. Dogs are also permitted, making this an ideal spot to get outdoors with your furry friends. 

To fully immerse yourself in nature, Thorndon Country Park is a 4-minute drive from Bentley Gardens. The country park features a range of bike and walking routes, with bike hire available if you’re unable to bring your own. Picnics are also allowed, making this an excellent spot for a summery day out.

Local transport links near your new home

Image: CrossCountry Trains

Getting around is very easy from Bentley Gardens. Basildon and Laindon Stations provide direct rail services into London within 35 minutes, and road connections via the A127 and A12 broaden your options for getting around with ease. This makes the development ideal for commuters working in Canary Wharf or Stratford, or further into the city. 

You can also reach London Southend Airport with a 25-minute drive, perfect for jetting away for a weekend break in Europe or beyond.

Call Essex your new home

Whether you’re looking for blissful walks amongst nature or exciting entertainment on your doorstep, Bentley Gardens is the place to be. To start your journey to home ownership now, register your interest in our new development today.

If you have any questions about the Shared Ownership process, check out our HOME Hub for lots of information, or get in touch with our friendly team, who will be happy to help.