Harlow Tories explain why market square is so untidy
News / Sat 23rd Jul 2022 at 11:18am
EARLIER this month, Labour councillor Tony Durcan criticised the state of the grass areas in the market square in Harlow.
On Thursday night, Great Parndon councillor David Carter (Cons) asked the portfolio holder for environment, cllr Nicky Purse answers a number of questions regarding the state of the area.
Question
Councillor David Carter to Councillor Nicky Purse (Portfolio Holder for Environment):
After walking through the Market Square, I was disappointed to see the condition of the flower beds, or should I say what flower beds. The areas are covered in weeds, so disappointing. What is being done to clear those weeds?
Reply from Councillor Nicky Purse (Portfolio Holder for Environment):
Planting for the new landscape plan for Market Square will take place in the autumn which is the appropriate season for new planting.The programme has been under constant review since the start of the works and we have been working with both the construction and design contractors to ensure as far as possible that the scheme deliveries according to the programme and maintains the high quality that we set to achieve at the start.
The programme has shifted but this is beyond anyone’s control and not the fault of the contractors.This is the first significant, high-quality public realm scheme that has been delivered in the town centre since The Water Gardens and, as a pilot, maintaining quality and delivering a sustainable product has been a priority.
We have committed to sourcing materials from UK-based suppliers which unfortunately, over the last six months has been problematic particularly with supply issues (the contractors were not made aware until after placing the order for the raised planters, that the original materials were no longer available), and notable price increases forcing us to seek alternatives whilst not compromising the design nor quality.
Again, these are out of the control of the contractor. We have been working with the design team to ensure that we can deliver planters in line with the planting season this Autumn.In the meantime, a contractor has been engaged to keep the areas clear of weeds and this work is due to commence shortly.
Nostradamus
2022-07-23 12:05:17
Absolutely no faith in the Council on this, how long has the Market Square been a dead zone, 15 years? Wrong ideas, wrong policies, wrong approach both major parties.... Go back and take a look at what made it a vibrant busy and popular marketplace when it was and then take a leaf out of the books of places like Epping where the market has always thrived. Harlow College building apprentices could have done a better job than the Council over recent years, unfortunately that doesn't just apply to The Market Square!!!
David Forman
2022-07-23 12:12:50
I believe this project was signed off by the last Labour administration and Nicky Purse said they failed to include any penalties for delays in the contract. Another Momentum-led Labour screw-up.
David Forman
2022-07-23 12:17:12
Yes, it was the last Labour administration's fault as you can see and hear by watching from 2minutes & 40 seconds into the film.
Nicholas Taylor
2022-07-23 12:37:12
This is not the end of the matter because it does not answer the question of why much of the surface of Market Square has not been completed. I have tabled a question at next weeks Full Council meeting. I know that the paving was sourced in Portugal and the Contractor ran out of materials before last Christmas, how do I know?, well the gentlemen carrying out the work told me so last November. Whilst this work started under the Labour watch, the Tories have now been in power for over 14 months. And what of the shrub boxes placed along Broadwalk, much of the planting is now dead and has never been looked after. It does not bode well for their plan to transform the Playhouse Square.
J Smithson
2022-07-23 12:42:04
Yes the market was a thriving place but then the Internet and big edge of town shopping arrived with prices that undercut the traders. You really can't have it both ways and the market, ironically, decided that it was not needed. Didn't see that one coming did you Nostradamus. Epping and Chelmsford are usually cited with their markets but operate on a completely different funding model to Harlow.
J Smithson
2022-07-23 12:42:21
Yes the market was a thriving place but then the Internet and big edge of town shopping arrived with prices that undercut the traders. You really can't have it both ways and the market, ironically, decided that it was not needed. Didn't see that one coming did you Nostradamus. Epping and Chelmsford are usually cited with their markets but operate on a completely different funding model to Harlow...
Nostradamus
2022-07-23 12:46:29
Time to take action not blame game David. Both main parties have been selling Harlow short and cutting corners on the quality of life here since the 1990s. Start with the demolition of the ski slope and literally blocking the development of established companies and most recently selling out on the town for the benefit of property developers like hggt. Both main parties had it within their power to stop the closure of The Square, the pending destruction of the Stort Valley, local pollution and both totally failed to stop the building of a monstrous warehouse in the back gardens of residents in Kathryns. The list goes on.. now we learn they cannot step up and get a few flower beds installed!! Hopeless and hapless.
Daniel Long
2022-07-23 14:17:07
It is untidy thanks to the no gooders coming In from London and hanging around because they won't get away with this in London. Harlow is a easy escape route link for this lot. It's only one stop on a fast train from Tottham hale.
Nicholas Taylor
2022-07-23 14:25:27
The Council needs to change the funding model then J Smithson. I went to North Weald Market today, it was packed with shoppers as is Waltham Cross Market most weeks. Nostradamus is right again with his assessment. The Council's Plan for the Playhouse Square will do nothing to attract visitors in large numbers. Indeed if the Government look at what the Council has has done with money received for Market Square, it may decided that in the present financial climate to reject HDC's bid.
A
2022-07-23 15:35:02
Enough planting. Knock down all of Market Square including all of the pubs, shops, old Post Office etc. all the way up to where the old Odeon was. That entire place needs a clean slate.
Interested
2022-07-23 17:51:48
Daniel Long… Can you explain more (with facts and proof) that all the people who hang around Market Square are “No Gooders from London”.. London is quite a big place so I am intrigued about your comment.
Curious
2022-07-24 05:43:28
I thought that HTS were contracted to maintain all gardening needs.
Sam
2022-07-24 07:19:55
Is that the worst thing we have to worry about? Fix the bloody roads, fix the housing issues, fix the hospital wait times, get the gps seeing patients again. A few bloody weeds, get a grip. No wonder people have no faith or trust in politicians, you’re not living in the real world.
Lee
2022-07-24 08:08:37
Wasn’t it CLLR Durcan who signed this off at the cost of 1 million?
Ann Brooks
2022-07-24 15:07:28
Too much has been spent & wasted since the closure of the original market there needs to a consensus for any future planning
First hand experience
2022-07-24 17:41:51
Harlow council & so called HTS have let this town go to ruins between them as neither of them can take responsibility & blame each other...as for HTS & the gardening... the hedges, trees & weeds amongst other things around this town tells it all...where I live the bushes are just as tall as the houses & as wide yet they have excuses all the time...council & HTS have more tea breaks & lunch breaks along with kipping in their vans in the housing estates car parks then of course it's time to clock off!! It's a nightmare getting them to do anything & when you do it's one guy fits all trades... REALLY!! Yet they still get a wage a wage for doing f..k all...This town will never be what it use to be yet all others around it are thriving ..what chance has it really got with all that goes on or what doesn't. Use to be a place people come to for right reason now people just want to get out.
Johnny
2022-07-25 06:30:58
Epping market is great👍😍
Nicholas Taylor
2022-07-25 07:17:37
First hand experience, I specifically raised this issue in my pre-election interview with yourharlow which took place in Hookfield. The shrub beds around the town are just as bad if not worse since the Tories took control of the Council and together with the uncut grass around all the trip rails the council has installed this leaves housing estates looking in a worse state than ever before. It seems clear that residents have given up on politicians or simply don't care anymore, bearing in mind that 78% did not take the trouble to vote in the elections. I can tell you that in many years gone by 72 gardeners were employed in the town to look after green spaces, I wonder how many there are now?
Pauline
2022-07-25 16:26:28
Forget what 'Sam' said earlier about weeds - A tidy town gets more respect and is appreciated by the majority. Where I live HTS have slowly done less and less since they came into being and also left work too long before being attended to. It appears to me that there is insufficient supervision undertaken by any political party or even Council "bosses". Frankly, it might have been better if Market Square had been made a car park!
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