Dear Editor,

HAVING noticed a lack of activity at the old GlaxoSmithKline complex in the Pinnacles over the past year or so I wrote to Robert Halfon MP to ask whether the UK Health Security Agency, (formerly Public Health England) would actually be occupying this building as announced back in 2017.

Despite four emails and one phone call to his constituency office over a period of four months I did not receive any response whatsoever. I have now obtained information following a Freedom of Information request to the UKHSA. The reply does not make encouraging reading.

Having spent £30m acquiring the site in 2017 the Government has gone on to spend a further £331m on demolition, renovation, and development, (source FOI) with no sign of UKHSA occupation.  Asked “Will this building be occupied by the UKHSA and if so, when?”, UKHSA’s response was;

“When Public Health England submitted its detailed planning application in 2020 it expected the site to be fully operational in 2031. The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent creation of UKHSA has led the strategic options for UK specialist laboratory facilities in the UK to be reviewed. This reassessment has included a range of options, including the Harlow scheme and existing sites at Porton and Colindale. Timescales are subject to government approval processes and cannot be confirmed at this time”.

Harlow appears now to be left with a costly white elephant with no prospect of short term benefit to the Town and its people. This is despite the PHE Chief Executive stating in July 2017; “We are also responding to the local community’s desire to see PHE move to Harlow as soon as possible. We hope today’s announcement will be a massive boost to the town and surrounding area”.

Over six years have passed, many millions spent, (wasted?) and still no prospect of the building being put to good use, either in the short term or long term. 

The old GSK complex is a huge 40 acre site with a number of large buildings and ample parking space. Would it be beyond the realms of possibility to ask if this building could be transformed into the new hospital that Harlow desperately needs? It is less than a mile from Princess Alexandra Hospital and would be more much more convenient for patients and staff than the proposed location of a new, as yet unplanned hospital near Junction 7a of the M11.

Perhaps if Mr Halfon reads this letter he will ‘work hard for Harlow’ and raise this matter with Government so that they can sort out this shambles and decide what is to happen to the old SKB complex.

Also, perhaps Harlow Council would like to comment about what they are doing to secure use of the building. The leader said in 2017, “Securing Public Health England’s relocation to Harlow is all part of the jigsaw being put in place for Harlow’s future with new jobs, new investment and improving local people’s skills.” 

All I can say is that jigsaw remains uncompleted while this very large piece is missing. If UKHSA are not going to use this site then it should be made available either as a new hospital or as a place for other businesses. It cannot just be left to deteriorate, as has already begun with smashed windows being visible from Elisabeth Way. 

The original announcement;  ‘Public Health England (PHE) plans a £400 million world-leading public health campus after buying the (GlaxoSmithKline) GSK site at Harlow’ can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-health-england-buys-the-gsk-site-at-harlow#:~:text=Public%20Health%20England%20(PHE)%20plans,GlaxoSmithKline)%20GSK%20site%20at%20Harlow.&text=PHE%20announced%20today%20(7%20July,home%20for%20public%20health%20science.

Yours,

Keith Cope