Exciting new plans for Elm Hatch unveiled by Harlow Council
General / Tue 12th Sep 2023 at 06:25am
HARLOW Council has submitted new plans for the redevelopment of Elm Hatch which includes 6 brand new council homes and new retail units.
The planning application for the scheme has been validated by planning officers. Public consultation will now take place ahead of a formal planning decision being made on the application. If approved, work on site is due to start in January.
The original plans for the area have been sensitively and significantly revised following feedback from residents and organisations and the site is within the Netteswellbury Conservation area.
The new scheme, which includes derelict land where the Hummingbird Pub once sat, will see two commercial retail units with 5 extremely high-quality council apartments built. The scheme includes off-street parking, the use of renewable energy and a new landscaped area. The site will also provide a 3-bedroom house suitable for families with wheelchair requirements.
All 6 homes on the development will be allocated to Harlow families on Harlow’s Housing Needs Register. The new retail units will be built before the old one is demolished to allow the existing business to continue trading during the redevelopment.
Due to the proximity of Grade II listed building that sits behind the development, the original height and size of the scheme has been radically changed and work has taken place with Place Services from Essex County Council and English Heritage to produce the final designs.
Chairman of the Waterhouse Moor Residents’ Association and local resident, Steve Richardson, has strongly endorsed the plans. He said:
“I wholeheartedly support the plans the council have brought forward for the redevelopment of Elm Hatch and the former Hummingbird Pub site.
“The site has been derelict for many years and has been a real blight on our neighbourhood. The council did propose something a few years back, but local residents totally opposed it and it was just unviable and completely wrong.
“These plans are fantastic and will be a huge enhancement to the area. I hope the planning permission is given and the construction starts in January as is planned. I really thank the council for listening and delivering on its word for Waterhouse Moor residents.”
Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of the Council, said:
“I am pleased that plans for a new scheme for the rebuild of Elm Hatch have now been submitted. This proposed scheme will transform part of an area which has sat derelict for far too long. We have worked closely with the Waterhouse Moor Residents’ Association to bring forward a much-improved scheme for the local area and one that does not intrude on the beautiful St Andrew’s Church and Study Centre which are close by. This scheme will provide much-needed council homes for Harlow families as well as new retail units and is all part of our priorities to rebuild our town and restore pride in Harlow.
“The proposed development is of extremely high-quality, both in the construction, design and materials, but also in the proposed landscaping and amenity space. I am proud that the council is not only rebuilding left-behind areas but also delivering such high-quality, energy efficient developments that enhance the local neighbourhood, not overdevelop or ruin it.”
David Forman
2023-09-12 09:22:02
Nice to see our Conservative council have brought forward plans that do "not intrude on the beautiful St Andrew’s Church and Study Centre" unlike the last Labour administration that got slammed by English Heritage.
Kim Oconnor
2023-09-12 09:54:40
How high is this going..??
Tracy George
2023-09-12 10:29:31
Exciting? Ok, slow news day I guess. But all good, nice to see council homes being built, even if only 6.
Cp
2023-09-12 10:54:30
Harlow families? Does that mean people that were born in Harlow that are on the housing register? Also the article mentions about not ruining the Waterhouse neighbourhood or over developing it,but that has already happened to Harlow anyway.I bet them planners etc are so annoyed that they cannot bulldoze the beautiful little vchurch and graveyard that stands directly behind these newbuilds,but i bet they will take as much of the land as they possibly can.The images of these new builds do make me laugh.
Seamus
2023-09-12 10:57:08
The planning application seems to have revised height restrictions so they are ground and first floor rather than the ground and two floors. The land iself does need something doing with it as it is crying out to be used. The two retail units, to avoid any neighbourly disputes later I'd suggest no fast take away outlets or business's that are open after 10pm. When the shops used to be there, the layby infront of the shops was normally enough but I notice no parking for the shops this time round?
David
2023-09-12 12:32:18
It's absolutely pointless building council houses while the right to buy still exists. They will end up being private houses or private rental houses.
James
2023-09-12 14:13:06
David, successive Labour governments under Blair and Brown never changed the right to buy and Starmer is not proposing to alter the law either. So, are you saying we should not bother building any council houses? Do you know how many council properties are sold each year in Harlow under the right to buy?
Nicholas Taylor
2023-09-12 15:12:47
New council homes are of course welcome. However this is another wasted opportunity by the local Tories who simply have no understanding of making making best use of its existing resources. Building homes for older residents would help more applicants on their housing register by freeing up homes for families who in turn would free up a home for others. As others have said these new homes will in due course just be lost from the effect of RTB.
James
2023-09-12 16:28:16
Another New Town Bracknell has managed to retain its level of social housing by transferring it entire stock a number years ago to a housing association under which new tenants do not have a right to buy. To do this requires tenants' agreement. A Council undertaking this would also need to ensure that the price paid by the housing association would cover the HRA borrowings. Unlikely. Nicholas is probably talking about building sheltered or warden assisted homes for the elderly that are not subject to the RTB. However, any premises they vacated would still be open to buy. The RTB is not going to change. No party would risk the wrath of the electorate. Home ownership is a natural aspiration.
Kim Oconnor
2023-09-13 07:53:29
Home ownership is a natural aspiration... James Leppard, only for those that can afford them... You have over 5,000 waiting for homes. You have god knows how many elderly,people living in high rise flat, with disabilities that should not be there, you have elderly people in houses, that should be on one level ..Get a grip on the situation.. if you don't provide for theses people, then where do we go from here.
James Leppard
2023-09-13 16:08:44
Kim O'Connor, looking at the statistics, a significant majority of Harlow households are privately owned. Admittedly, it is lower than the Essex and England averages, but the upward trend is clear. As to the size of the Housing Register list, this comprises different levels, as is the case in all Councils. You are no doubt aware of this Council's new council house building programme starting this Autumn.
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