THE three District Councillors representing Old Harlow have submitted a detailed consultation response opposing the direction of the ‘East of Harlow Masterplanning Guidance Draft Supplementary Planning Document’.

They believe the document sets out a flawed vision for the East of Harlow that could result in thousands of new homes being built without properly understanding the potentially serious consequences for existing residents in Old Harlow. Their concerns focus on four key areas:

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Vision for housing 

Lack of a clear strategic plan to put in place all the infrastructure required before housing can be built, causing an unsustainable impact on existing schools, GP surgeries and other local public services.

Impact on the environment

A loss of agricultural land and the potential increased risk of flooding requiring a reassessment of the proposed green infrastructure plan. 

Traffic, the new hospital site and public transport

No full assessment of the pressure that could be caused by the proposed three main vehicular access points on the local road network, a need for more of a focus on the new hospital site and a realistic plan for dealing with short- and medium-term public transport concerns. 

Future of the M11 corridor

Inadequate consideration of the ‘Innovation Corridor’ status granted to the M11 between London and Cambridge, and the need for more employment land to create jobs.

All three Old Harlow Councillors are calling for the current consultation to be paused, because they want a more considered plan to be put forward. Their recommendations, for example, call for the traveller site to be abandoned, a more pro-enterprise approach and a scrapping of the anti-car sustainable transport scheme. 

Six recommendations in total have been put forward for consideration. 

Old Harlow Ward Councillors, Joel Charles, Mike Garnett and Sue Livings, have pledged to keep up the pressure against the housing plan to the east of the town:

“The truth is that 3,350 new homes will impact key parts of Old Harlow the most. Increased traffic movements, a loss of agricultural land and concerns about a heightened flood risk are unacceptable. We continue to oppose the housing plan.

“It is our view that the whole purpose of the East of Harlow strategic site needs a rethink. Focus more on delivering the new hospital at the preferred site, establish additional employment land on a smaller footprint to create jobs and invest in credible public transport schemes that are proven to work. 

“Attempts to achieve a modal shift could be as damaging and anti-car as the ULEZ expansion taken forward in London. There must be a better balance between rightly protecting the environment and allowing residents to still get from A to B by car.

“The Harlow and Gilston Garden Town executive team launched a fundamentally flawed consultation, which must be immediately paused, so that the challenges faced by existing settled communities in Old Harlow can be better understood. A relaunched consultation, that provides the full facts and includes an extended period to respond, is the best way forward. 

“We hope that the recommendations in our response are taken seriously and a major change in direction follows.”