PROPOSALS for eight new council homes in Arkwrights are set to go before Harlow Council’s planning committee.

The proposals are for: the erection of eight two-storey terraced homes for the provision of social housing.

The proposals consist of the erection of two separate buildings to allow for the continuation of the access route off Arkwrights that leads to the Community Garden.

The scheme is a Council-led housing development which whilst only minor in scale, has received a large number of objections, and therefore is considered appropriate to be considered at the Planning Committee.

The proposal seeks to demolish the existing garages on site to erect two rows containing
4 x two-storey 3-bedroom dwellings either side of a landscaped central area that would
provide a link from Arkwrights to the existing community allotment gardens to the south of
the site. The dwellings would be provided as social housing to increase the Council’s
social housing stock.

Each dwelling would be provided with two off-street parking spaces within a front garden area, alongside one disabled parking bay at the centre of the site.

The proposed design would be contemporary in form with a projecting front gable on each
central end of the two terraces, with a dual-pitch roof design. A mix of red and buff brick
would be used as the primary materials, which would be broken up with red brick
projecting feature walls and the use of steel.

Summary of Representations Received
In total, 10 representations were received, of which 8 were objections to the proposal.
The following comments were received that are material to the consideration of this
planning application:

Support

• Good use of under-utilised space to provide Council homes. Nice public amenity
  space
• Support for the proposal, provided that the design is attractive and in keeping with
  the locality.
  
• Objection
• Members of the public feel mis-led in being informed that the garages would be
  knocked down to create a car park, following which the car park was laid out, only
  for the proposed planning application to be submitted.
• New dwellings are not wanted in this location
• A member of public was asked to give up their garage which they had paid for and
  had access to for many years, under the impression that the garages would be
  demolished to be used as a public car park. They were asked if they wanted a
  garage back to which they replied yes, but received no response.
• Impact on parking conditions, which are already very bad and will be worsened. It
  is already extremely difficult to find an on-street parking space.
• Could green spaces surrounding Harlow not be used to provide new residential
  development?
• Proposal will result in increased problems with traffic and parking in locality.
• The development will result in a decrease in safety within the locality.
• The site should be used for car parking
• The development will be very visually prominent from the rear garden windows of
  neighbouring properties
• Loss of privacy of the gardens that adjoin the Arkwrights allotment.
• Loss of daylight and sunlight arising from the development

https://moderngov.harlow.gov.uk/documents/s21349/HWFUL2200218%20Arkwrights.pdf

The matter will be discussed on Wednesday November 9th at 7.30pm. Harlow Council, The Water Gardens.