AN application for a major refurbishment of houses in Harlow is set to go before the Harlow Council planning committee.

The application relates to 97-126 The Hides.

The proposal comprises a major refurbishment of these flats with a significant amount of work proposed. Some of the elements of the scheme would not require planning permission on their own as they are small-scale or permitted development, e.g. some of the fencing or would not be classed as “development” such as the provision of benches or on their own would be permitted development such as fencing. The main elements of the scheme are:

•   Recladding the flats to improve their appearance and insulation. These would include a pattern of squares and rectangles in the areas of wall not broken up by windows.
•   Improvements to the upper floor walkways including replacing the solid balustrades with open metal ones and enclosing exposed pipes.
•   Dividing the grassed open space inside the two arms of the “L” into two parts using railings on a plinth with a total height of 2 metres; an area closer to the flats which would be for residents only and an area outside which would remain public open space. Both part of this would be landscaped.
•   Providing 11 parking spaces directly off The Hides, at right angles to The Hides. This is in addition to the existing car park to the north which will have a controlled gate and be for residents only.
•   New windows and doors throughout the development.
•   Building a new bin store to the south of the “tunnel” between Velizy Avenue and TheHides.
•   Providing 10 cycle stands in the “tunnel” where the two arms of the “L” meet.
•   General landscaping and tree planting work.

There have been a number of objections.

Summary of Representations Received

A flat resident – The gated area on the field is too small, benches outside the gated area will attract teenagers and drug addicts, loss of light from trees, parking spaces adjacent to flat wall could mean vehicles hitting it, grass outside window could cause people to congregate there so no privacy, noise from bike storage near flats – could it be relocated near previous bins sheds?, possible risk to safety of the building. Welcomes other aspects of scheme.

A flat resident – Only have use of part of the adjacent field, risk of people congregating outside flat windows with loss of privacy, if there’s another pandemic there will not be enough space to separate, trees outside 97 will block sunlight and provide a drug dealing hotspot, not safe to have cars parking up against flats – should be a footpath in between, benches outside gates will attract teenagers, alcoholics and drug users, noise from people using bike stores, possible damage to building during construction, asks if it is possible to open car park gates from intercoms. Welcomes other aspects of scheme.

A flat resident – Welcomes scheme in principle, green space for flats will be reduced, asks for cycle store to be relocated, proximity of parking spaces to flat walls, possible damage to building during work, would like public area of green space reduced, outside benches will attract undesirable groups.

The full application can be found here.

https://moderngov.harlow.gov.uk/documents/s16398/20-00151%20The%20Hides%20ACF.pdf

The application will be heard on Wednesday September 2nd at 7.30pm on the Harlow Council YouTube channel.