Harlow Council to consider scheme where residents can adopt green spaces near their homes
Communities / Mon 5th Jun 2023 at 08:39am
HARLOW Council is set to introduce a scheme in the next year where residents can adopt and maintain small pieces of green spaces close to their homes.
Before he stepped down as leader, councillor Russell Perrin promoted the idea stating:
“During my time as leader restoring pride has been a big focus of mine and one of the schemes that asked officers to look at is one which would enable householders to take over and maintain small pieces of landscaped areas close to their homes.
I am aware that there are residents who are prepared to help maintain areas where they live whether that is cutting grass or trimming bushes and hedges.
This would add community value to housing estates while ensuring maintenance standards match the expectations of the public.
“There has been progress made on developing proposals for a scheme via a formal licence arrangement which the council will look to bring forward in the next year.”
Kim Oconnor
2023-06-05 10:19:50
Why, so you councils don't have to. Any way at the rate you lot are taking our green belt, there won't be any green spaces left.
Peter Henegan
2023-06-05 10:29:58
Neither Labour or Tory councils have had any interest in landscaping the bit of land on the other side of my wall. This is a long overdue idea, BUT why wait until next year, do it NOW, hope a bit of money will be available for buying plants etc
Glenda
2023-06-05 10:52:12
This actually sounds like a great idea and will go a long way to improving the look of harlow, but will we have any green spaces,trees, bushes left to maintain with the way all this constant building of more and more new homes is going on? But i for one think this is a really good idea to help maintain the lovely green spaces that we have. I do think a lot of people would like tobe involved in this.Lets hope is can go ahead in the very near future.
Nostradamus
2023-06-05 11:22:09
The problem is that residents with good intentions will often destroy micro habitats needed for wildlife. The current "neat & tidy" policy being enforced by councillors who are lacking any knowledge about ecology are pushing through tree and grass cutting programmes and indescriminately applying weedkillers to create what are clipped green ecological deserts, monocultures with a destruction of biodiversity, against the advice of experts. Insect and bird populations are being wiped out by such practices. Towns are becoming the last refuge of wildlife because farming practices for generations have eliminated many species. We depend on important insects like bees, literally for our own survival and the situation is critical. Letting residents loose to "tidy up " and save the council a relatively tiny sum of money is the kind of policy that is costing the Earth.
David Forman
2023-06-05 11:46:30
Will volunteers get any training to ensure they work safely? Will the council pay for the PA1 and PA6 pesticides course or enforce pesticide/herbicide free gardening? Will the council cover the volunteers for public liability insurance? Will the council take the waste away? https://www.capel.ac.uk/course/horticulture-and-professional-landscaping/level-2-award-in-the-safe-use-of-pesticides-pa1-pa6a-pa6aw/
David Vincent
2023-06-05 11:53:12
Would the Tory administration explain why an area adjacent to St James' rectory in Perry Road and alongside the factory unit in Pegrams Road has already been taken off the HTS grass cutting plan?
Julia Bishop
2023-06-05 12:48:34
We payed to ask how much the land next to our house would cost for off road parking and they told us no we could norms but a peace of land but the man up the road has. I just can’t understand why his was able to and we could not
Jasper Wiggins
2023-06-05 15:10:46
Rather than the 'discretionary," cutting of trees & bushes, possible introducing non-native plants (think do-gooders who want something pretty and are not aware of how any particular plant could be invasive, poisonous or too big to manage on down the road), why not focus on CLEANING UP THE GARBAGE? In the United States there are programs to adopt green spaces, or sections of the highway by individuals or businesses (nearly all 50 states have this and you can see the signs of people who have paid for and adopted a stretch of highway). Being focused on CLEAN UP more than 'beautification' the council may find A.) revenue generated by people or business that want to adopt a space and B.) community building by people who are actively involved in keeping a stretch of road or a park CLEAN. I completely agree with others comments here that the council is opening-a-can-of-worms with the suggestion that just anyone can trim, or plant, or use pesticides on their adopted plot of land and call it 'tidying up'! Where is the control or management in that? What happens when those newly introduced plants & trees are nuisance to neighbors or the pesticides run-off into the water system? Harlow like many counties in England doesn't seem to understand they don't have to reinvent the wheel, there are plenty of successful programs to tackle these problems in other places - they need to pick a successful model and follow it.
Tony Edwards
2023-06-05 17:51:12
The Council might want to look at a really successful neighbourhood scheme in Southwark (Brick Layers Arms to the Elephant and Castle Green Link ) - where residents are actively involved in maintaining and enhancing green spaces and amenity areas. There the residents very much have "ownership" - the areas are clean, well maintained, well used and have a real sense of "community". The important lesson being that it is truly a "partnership" scheme.
David morton
2023-06-05 18:09:36
Kim O'connor, couldn't of put it better myself, just another cop out by harlow council!!
Clare Harrison
2023-06-05 19:02:25
I would love something like this. I live in a flat where I struggle with the stairs. I have nowhere private where I can sit in the sun outside and relax , unlike people who have gardens. As long as it was a quiet space (I need quiet due to being neurodivergent ), I would love this. I don’t suppose I will ever have a garden of my own, so this is a lovely idea for people like me in flats.
Nick Gunning
2023-06-05 19:14:11
Another cop out for the so-called 'Council-tax-freeze.' Volunteer pot-hole filling next? Then we have 'rewilding'- as in not maintaining the verges and embankments! All in line with the neo-liberal idea that it's not the state's job to 'interfere' in people's private lives etc.
Kate
2023-06-05 20:19:57
I like the idea, it's a positive step to reclaim pride, interest and enhance community spirit. The opportunity to care for green space naturally and organically, with nature habitat at the forefront. We can live symbiotically with nature-exciting times.
Stan
2023-06-05 20:39:47
Ban chemicals and obtain permission to 'plant', otherwise could be a good idea. I've cut their grass verge for 2 decades to prevent seeds from weeds blowing into my garden!
Pauline
2023-06-05 20:43:52
The grass verge earlier cut this year was excellent - just spoilt by the HTS strike that followed.
Kay Archer
2023-06-05 22:34:31
How will this work as far as adverse possession rights after 10 years?!
Julie Davies
2023-06-06 07:22:38
I have backed up the grass cutting program for years by tending the grass verge next to my house , sometimes cut infrequently by HTC . Happy to continue ad hoc whilst able , but as a retired resident to commit entirely, probably not . May become too much one day !! Also yes Nostradamus spraying weed killer indiscriminately has created an eyesore . We now have a 30 cm width running the whole length and also running into our boundary of dead grass where there were NO weeds at all . Very disappointing.
Stuart Maskell
2023-06-06 10:40:11
Absolutely brilliant idea I've got a few plots I'd like to adopt in my area
Jc
2023-06-06 12:58:51
I'm maintaining council ground next to my property and have been for years otherwise it would be a bad reflection on my property. regardless of this it's covered in animal shite. Very deflated really.
Zulqar Cheema
2023-06-06 20:48:02
This idea has been here before... Berecroft Residents Association still have an adopted area from the council since 2010. (though recently they seemed to have forgotten about it) We got a donation to refurbish the old tennis court, floodlights on Comonside Park, we still keep it clean and report anything.
NiceTryToriesSpendSomeMoneyandStopLiningYourPockets
2023-06-08 11:43:45
Nice bit of free labor for the council! And some people will take it hook, line, and sinker because it is for a good cause or whatever, but it is nothing more than free labor, volunteered for at that! Will our Council tax be going down after the council offload the maintenance costs for these areas? I think it is a lot better when it is residents led, and comes up from the grassroots, and not the Council putting it out there to fed off people's good nature...
21 Comments for Harlow Council to consider scheme where residents can adopt green spaces near their homes: