Plans to convert Potter Street housing office into flats
News / Thu 28th Sep 2023 at 04:31pm
PLANS to convert existing former offices jn Potter Street into 1 x one bedroom flat and 4 x two bedroom flats at 96 Potter Street in Harlow have been submitted to Harlow Council.
The plans also include the creation of thirty eight additional regular parking bays and three electric vehicle charging points and two disability parking bays.
The premises was the former housing office. The proposal is for social housing.
For more information, go to Harlow Council’s website and look for HW/FUL/23/00036 in the planning section.
Bruce Downey
2023-09-28 17:01:40
No joy on council website : Why the need for 38 additional & regular parking bays, doesn’t make sense. Where is the space?? and for who..
Gary Roberts
2023-09-28 17:01:52
No wonder Cllr. Swords was so quiet on these plans for the former neighborhood office. No consultation just "that will upset the residents'". No council services just more congestion. Increase the population and forget vital infrastructure services. No medical services. If these plans are agreed then vote this lot out.
Nicholas Taylor
2023-09-28 17:31:35
This is quite frankly an utter disgrace and yet another example how residents across the town are being let down by this Council. The need for a community hub in Potter Street has been expressed many times by residents on yourharlow. The Osler House building remains empty and there seems no prospect of it ever being used again. The closure of council offices in the neighbourhood was just the first step in many the council has taken to disengage with residents, Councillors and staff are completely out of touch with residents and just take a "we know best" attitude to things that affect where we live and work.
Fred
2023-09-28 17:53:07
It’s bad enough with car’s parking along the path outside the new flats already there and makes it hard to come out of carters mead by the school, even got there own parking at back of flats but they park out front, probably these new flats do the same and park on paths.
Phil Mahole
2023-09-28 18:20:11
Can they PLEASE add some car parking to these so the nimbys can find another reason to complain. Last week it was council residents would bring the area down, at least this time there’s a semblance of an excuse, I suppose
James Leppard
2023-09-28 19:30:50
Nicholas Taylor, the Potter Street Community Hub has an allotment project that is well advanced. As to Osler House, I believe you will soon be eating your words.
Alderman Durcan
2023-09-28 19:38:48
Well over a year ago the Labour group ask the council to use this site as both a community facility as well as a start up business hub. This was to support the concept of a multi use local community facility. The ground floor space would have been idea for mixed community groups including space for health screenings. Upstairs could have been converted into small local start up units linked to the enterprise hub.The space next to the site would have been a dedicated car park This would have brought new hope,aspiration,new growth as well as jobs to the local economy.This could have rejuvenated and regenerated the existing building but sadly the Tory council is more bothered about pulling down rather that supporting and building up the community We could do much better.
Bruce Downey
2023-09-28 20:03:46
A Durcan, I seem to remember it was going to be a nursery in your day 2019-2020.. you mention space.. there is none it is all being used. Perhaps this is all guess work, huh.
Tc
2023-09-28 20:07:21
Ignoring everything else; Where on earth will the 43 parking spaces go?
Nicholas Taylor
2023-09-28 22:10:41
James, the former Neighbourhood Office (far more than just a Housing Office) has been vacant for much of the time since it closed and could very easily have been, indeed even now turned in to a community hub. I would of course applaud anything which would see Osler House brought back in to use again, I hope that money has been found to carry out work to enable this to happen.
Seamus
2023-09-28 22:58:34
I'd urge others to look at harlow councils planning portal, the council is certainly cutting corners and breaking the rules as known. You will see no documents in regard to knocking down Osler house, this was dated 2008. What you may not have seen yet is the secondary application, again listed as 2008 but shows a decision notice dated the 23rd of April 2023 for the following ; "The Development of Existing Carters Mead Playground to Provide New Health Centre, (to Replace Osler House, New Community Centre to Replace Potter Street Community Centre & The Provision of 6no. Flats With Access From Carters Mead with Parking Amenity Space & Landscaping with Detailed Provision of New Playground on Larkswood Open Space | Redevelopment Of Southern Way Playground Site Southern Way Harlow CM20". How many in Carters Mead, Larkswood and Chapel Fields have been told the council intends to build on the greenland where the playground and basketball court is?
gary roberts
2023-09-29 05:59:37
Cllr. Leppard, "the Potter Street Community Hub has an allotment project that is well advanced. As to Osler House, I believe you will soon be eating your words". "So no money" and "too expensive" in February 2022 but now residents like me will be eating our words. You know BS comes in many shapes and sizes but really this just adds to it. If you have plans tell the residents not hint at jam tomorrow. Potter Street is so use to this approach I suspect I could write a book on these jam tomorrow projects only to be let down by Harlow Council. A community hub should be the centre of that community not hidden away in some spare allotment space. So if you have plans for Osler House lets hear them now and not when they are agreed without any consultation.
J
2023-09-29 07:15:51
So the community center,one half is used by making steps which is dance school used by many young aspiring dancers and performers and they do some amazing shows. And the other half to be turned to flats, no disrespect but that's bonkers,it should be let to the dance school, there is a small brown field site there also, this could be used for parking for those who live in the flats where the paddling pool was,as opposed to them.having to park on the road outside the school.
James Leppard
2023-09-29 11:27:13
Nicholas Taylor, as I said regarding Osler House, watch this space.
James Leppard
2023-09-29 12:05:48
Bruce Downey, Alderman Durcan does seemed to get confused quite often. During the latest Full Council meeting when we were discussing the new Regeneration partnership joint venture signed with Hill Group, Alderman Durcan interjected claiming that when he was responsible for regeneration, he was on the cusp of agreeing a similar deal. Some of his Labour colleagues appeared bemused. When asked to provide basic details as to when and with whom this deal was being discussed he was unable to answer and instead asked senior officers to provide the answers. The outcome was that they too had knowledge or recollection of any such transaction. At the end of the meeting, Alderman Durcan openly stated that he had no idea as to what he was talking about (not for first time). Therefore, with him at the helm of regeneration, it hardly surprising that the Town Centre was left to deteriorate. When he talk about "we could do much better", he start by applying that to himself.
Colin
2023-09-29 13:56:42
As Councilor Leppard has said the Wellbeing Hub is well into the project of bringing a derelict allotment site back into use. It's a little more than that although it's true allotments will be provided for those who would like one it will also double as a Community Garden,Wildlife Area and Wetlands. The project will be known as the Potter Street and Church Langley Community Garden and is already is providing fresh fruit and vegetables via the Potter Street Baptist Church. Next year it is hoped when the site is fully operational to be able to serve a wider area and help those with health issues
James Leppard
2023-09-29 14:11:31
Wishing Colin and his team every success with this community project. He has worked tirelessly towards this.
James Leppard
2023-09-29 15:34:50
Gary Roberts, I am certain you are aware of the concept of commercial sensitivity.
gary roberts
2023-09-29 16:08:20
No Cllr. Leppard, I have no idea what a "concept of commercial sensitivity" is into a building owned by the council: perhaps you can enlighten me and the residents' of Potter Street. Does it mean the council will enter into an agreement without consulting the residents of the area but will eventually have to cover the costs when it fails via their council tax? A derelict building in need of major works is according to Cllr. Perrin and Cllr. Le May too costly. When will the residents finally get to know? When it is signed and sealed? Treating residents with such complete contempt is disgraceful: isn't it?
gary roberts
2023-09-29 16:28:16
I also wish Colin Thorpe well, but I know it wasn't what he and Jane Chivrall planned and fought for: They wanted a Potter Street health and well-being hub based in Osler House. This council destroyed that and they knew it. Over years the delay here and delay there was a disgraceful tactic by the council when all they wanted to do was to improve the lives of Potter Street residents. The council should be ashamed.
From Potter Street
2023-09-30 06:44:07
The person talking about the old planning application this was from when the paddling pool was moved over to the Larkswood site & the new surgery was supposed to be build there but there never happened as there was no money. With regards to the comments about the parking in the new application if you look at the plans it clearly shows that the public car park is being changed around & there will be access through the wall currently in between that & the waste ground which will create the much needed extra spaces hopefully then those using the dance school will use them rather than parking on Southern Way & causing lots of issues with other traffic.
Seamus
2023-09-30 11:06:06
Hi, From Potter Street, I think you mean me? If you put Osler house into the planning search box you'll see the first result only has three inputs. Two from 2008 and one from 5th April 2023 that 2023 result gives the 2008 requests approval. HW/PL/08/00327
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