HARLOW’S MP, Robert Halfon, has tabled a second motion in Parliament on the Stort Crossing. Mr Halfon has made clear his view on the proposals, saying that the developers should “go back to the drawing board”.

He also noted that the proposals were passed by the former Labour Council in their 2020 Local Plan, which the then Conservative opposition voted against. 

The motion reads: 

That this House understands concerns that the Stort crossing proposals will have on the beautiful environment of the Stort Valley in Harlow constituency; further understands the threat that those proposals pose to local wildlife and ecosystems; recognises the concerns on those proposals raised by hundreds of local residents; further recognises that the plans for that problematic development have been inherited from the previous Labour Council who agreed to the proposals in the 2020 Local Plan; notes that Harlow Conservative Councillors voted against the 2020 Local Plan; further notes the upcoming Planning Committee meetings of both East Herts Council and Harlow District Council at which this planning application will be considered; and calls on the Government to put pressure onto the developers to reassess those plans and go back to the drawing board.

Commenting on the proposals, Mr Halfon said: “I recently set out my increasing concerns about the impact of these proposals on the beautiful environment of our Stort Valley and the threat to our nature and environment. 

“As I have said previously, this problem was inherited from the previous Labour Council who agreed to these proposals in the Local Plan in 2020. The Conservatives voted against that Local Plan.

“My belief is that Labour made a mistake and that the developer should go back to the drawing board.

“I thank every resident who has written to me to raise their concerns and to those who have campaigned so passionately on this issue. I will continue to make representations to the relevant Councillors and local authorities – as I have already done.”