A PLANNING application by the “owners” of Terminus House has not been approved by the Harlow Council planning committee.

The committee met on Wednesday night via Zoom and made a decision to defer the decision to a future date.

The applicant is IPE Harlow Ltd and Terminus House (Commercial) LLP.

Their application, if successful, would be for 150 homes between Holiday Inn and Terminus House in the town centre.

But a number of councillors expressed deep concerns about the application.

Whilst the applicant had thanked Harlow Council planning officers for their co-operation, democratically elected councillors expressed their frustration that they had only seen the final documentation for the application recently.

Staple Tye councillor Mike Hardware was particularly critical re lack of information.

He said: “We are not getting enough information and when we do it is at very short notice.

“This only has 7% affordable homes. We do not have enough information to make a decision.”

The applicant responded by making reference to events in early 2019.

Councillors were also highly critical regarding the number of affordable homes.

Harlow Common councillor, Maggie Hulcoop expressed concerns that any affordable housing would be in a seperate area and not spread through the development.

Cllr Souter was critical over lack of support for infrastructure in Harlow (known as Section 106).

Cllr Jean Clark pointed out that all the consultees had been very critical. “This is not adequate and we should reject it.”

Cll Mike Garnett made a number of references to Terminus House and the well-publicised anti-social problems.

He also said: “Why is it that one development can give so much in relation to affordable housing and infrastructure support and ones such as this can give hardly a penny.?”

Councillors agreed unanimously to defer the decision.

Film of the application can be found below. Start from the first five minutes.