Harlow Council and Joseph Rank House: “Only made aware last week”
Politics / Thu 26th Jan 2023 at 02:01pm
HARLOW Council has given their version of events surrounding the closure and proposed demolition of Joseph Rank House.
A council spokesperson said: “We were made aware of the situation regarding Joseph Rank House last week. This meeting was requested by Places to People so they could let us know of their intentions and that they would be communicating with the residents.
“We have since been in further discussion with Places for People regarding supporting those affected.
“They have assured us that they will be doing everything they can to work with all residents individually to support them into new housing. In the first instance residents should contact Places for People directly to arrange individual discussions.
“We understand that this news is concerning for the residents of Joseph Rank House, and we will continue to work closely with Places for People. We will provide necessary support where appropriate for those who need assistance from us regarding their housing situation and are already in discussion with Places for People on this matter.
“This process is going to take a number of months so there is no immediate change to anybody’s housing situation at Joseph Rank House.
“No discussions have taken place on the future of the site. The priority is to support all residents and ensure they are adequately re-homed. Any further regeneration that takes place on the site will be carried out in line with the wider Town Centre Masterplan.
“This decision by Places for People is separate to their work in their capacity as a Harlow and Gilston Garden Town developer.”
neil Boat
2023-01-26 18:26:24
I feel there is a need for wholly independent and unnobblable Structural Surveyors here. These are people's homes and one of the few examples in Harlow of Sir F Gibbard's maxim that buildings should be repurposed as the need arises rather than knocked down. Joseph Rank House should be made a Listed building as it is a excellent example of Architecture from its Period. ( As was the Iconic Gilbeys distillery when it was listed....before the flipping Developers smashed up the insides as per the examples in Harlow Museum garden and got it delisted and knocked it down anyway..sigh
Tony Durcan
2023-01-26 18:26:55
Places for people are a significant key partner to the Tory controlled Harlow council, not to inform your closer partner shows how weak this relationship is now. This decision damages trust and respect. Places for people are more about profit before people over this decision. Weak leadership from the council
Dan
2023-01-26 21:24:13
Tony, PfP is a not for profit organisation. Shows how much you knew about them when you signed the deal.
James Leppard
2023-01-26 23:01:25
If Cllr Durcan is referring to the relationship between Harlow District Council ( as one of the 5 local authorities engaged with HGGT) with Places for People, he seems to have conveniently forgotten that it was his own Harlow Labour administration that entered into this scheme with Places for People. Therefore, his simulated ‘surprise’ is barely credible. More to the point, this particular investment property owned by Places for People has nothing to do with the HGGT project or with Harlow Council. If it did, he as the former Councillor for Regeneration would know all it….wouldn’t he??
Tony Durcan
2023-01-27 07:47:43
Dan as always you’re avoiding the truth. People matter. People are about to lose their homes and in some cases we may lose hardworking underfunded and under valued nurses as a result. Protect the company if you want but what about protecting people first.
James
2023-01-27 08:38:04
Cllr Durcan, if you read Dan’s comments, nothing he states can be interpreted as ‘protecting the company’. He is simply stating facts, which are something you seem to struggle with.
Nostradamus
2023-01-27 10:52:53
Dan, a pfp can make a "surplus" and pay it's executives and partners extremely well. Snouts in the trough. The whole hggt pfp project smacks of the worst kind of association of people in public office being hand in glove with property developers. The Council under both tory and labour administrations have not consulted residents and have both put the town into decline over the last 40 years, the only difference now is that the Conservatives in Harlow encouraged by those in East Herts and Epping are putting it into a nose dive. Didn't the Council question why the owners of the Harvey Centre were so keen to off load it that they gave the Council a massive discount on the selling price? The whole hggt and pfp around and in Harlow project just dumps on the town and adds to the overload that'll be caused by the other hi rise developments, inept transport plans and the future hi rise high density development of the PAH land should the hospital be moved out of town 4.5 miles from the town centre.
novoman
2023-01-27 10:57:58
Will Labour and Conservatives stop focusing on each other and politicking and realising that they have each taken their eyes off the ball allowing property developers to thrive at the expense of Harlow town and it's residents? A plague on both your houses.
8 Comments for Harlow Council and Joseph Rank House: “Only made aware last week”: