Green light given for 24 new council apartments in Staple Tye
News / Wed 25th Oct 2023 at 06:30am
PLANS to build 24 high-quality council apartments in Staple Tye have recently been given planning approval as part of the council’s priorities to rebuild our town and restore pride in Harlow.
The scheme will be one of the first to be delivered by the new Harlow Regeneration Partnership which is a joint venture between Harlow Council and The Hill Group. Work on site is due to start next month.
The green light to updated plans for redevelopment of the former Lister House site on Perry Road was given at last month’s Development Management Committee. The site has been derelict for several years. There were no objections to the plans.
The development will restore pride to the area and is part of the regeneration and transformation of the Staple Tye.
The development will include 4 one-bedroom apartments and 20 two-bedroom apartments and office space on the ground floor. The building will include solar panels and be powered by air source heat pumps, providing energy efficient homes and business space to help keep energy bills down.
The scheme will include 24 car park spaces and 32 cycle spaces, with 15 electric vehicle charging points along with 4 commercial parking spaces and 10 cycle spaces.
Some trees will need to be removed but these will be replaced by new trees and there will be new high-quality landscaped areas created.
Councillor Michael Hardware, cabinet portfolio holder for economic development, said:
“Not only will this development deliver much-needed homes for Harlow residents, but it will also contribute to the regeneration and renewal of Staple Tye. The former Lister House site has been sitting derelict for far too long and now I am pleased to say we can get on with the job of rebuilding this area of Staple Tye.
“These high-quality apartments will be some of the most energy efficient homes in Harlow and they will all be delivered by the Harlow Regeneration Partnership, which was only recently launched by the council to accelerate the rebuild of our town.
“We look forward to working with The Hill Group on this development with work set to start on this site shortly.”
Tom Hill, Managing Director at The Hill Group, said,
“We are delighted to receive planning approval for our first site in partnership with Harlow Council, contributing to the regeneration of Harlow Town. This first exciting development is just the beginning for the Harlow Regeneration Partnership, and we look forward, not only to starting on site at Perry Road, but to delivering many more high quality, affordable homes for Harlow’s communities in the future.”
Mazzy
2023-10-25 07:43:32
About time something is being done with that derelict piece of land. The old Lister House was pulled down over 3 years ago and nothing has happened since.
Tomcat
2023-10-25 07:51:58
I must say it remains to be seen if the homes will be for Harlow people as I can bet anything that these homes will go to our friends from over seas! Also installing heat pumps will give the residents huge bills as the heat pumps are not the most economic form of heating and the heat pump push is all about net zero im afraid! What the council should be sorting is the damn roads as they are systematically being destroyed and its a complete disgrace! all the traffic calming humps are missing parts resulting in metal frames under them being exposed and cutting peoples tires! The whole town looks a disgrace with litter, Broken pavements, and no parking resulting in pavement parking and what with the so called speeding down the housing estates where shall I stop. Nothing is enforced anymore and its not a safe town! crimes is rife with theft and vehicle crime and yet the electric scooter ban just doesnt work and is not enforced they are everywhere on pavements throung the town centre and even causing fires! im afraid the whole town needs a reset
Nicholas Taylor
2023-10-25 09:02:43
I am afraid that our Tory led Council still fail to see how building such flats does little to help the housing crisis in Harlow. Many will soon be occupied by families which include children so those families will go back on the Councils Housing Register, looking to move into a house. Many of the flats are facing North so balconies and windows will see little of the sun and those of us who live close to Southern Way know only to well how noisy and polluted living in close proximity to this road can be. There are currently 83 council tenants looking to downsize their home, far better to have designed a building for older residents, who could have downsized, releasing 24 houses in which families with children could move into. Close to the shops, dentists, doctors, bus stops, and on the flat, an ideal location for homes for older residents.
Long term resident
2023-10-25 15:30:37
Council housing is very much welcomed especially utilising a derelict plot of land. This is what should be happening throughout the town rather than private developments on the greenbelt. These homes should be made available to those who have been on the waiting list the longest and long standing harlow residents. Long-term residents deemed to be in less urgent need for housing are being passed over for tens of years over people who have recently moved into the area into temporary housing. Harlow was built with the promise of affordable housing for generations but this has been completely dismantled by the huge influx of people from outside the area. Long term residents simply have little or no chance of housing
Seamus
2023-10-25 15:44:54
Apologies If I've missed something? On the planning portal it shows an application for 24 residential apartments launched on the 9th of May 2023 and also 23 flats launched on the 30th May 2023. Both seem to refer to the same plot of land? I also agree with Nicholas Taylors point, in that we have a bottle neck where elderly couples/individuals are unable to find retirement developments so they can exchange their council house/social housing homes, to the housing pot for families. Given the expected substantial increase in the elderly, this lack of planning for retirement accomodation will only make things worse.
DEK HAN
2023-10-26 05:11:13
So it will be ok with some of you to say build homes for the elderly in proximity to what we know is a very busy noisy air polluting road is it shame on you for such a suggestion.
Chris
2023-10-26 07:11:30
Is there not a conflict of interest given that the woman who refuses to answer or be spoken to about HGGT shambles is on the board for Hills group? Yes I am talking about Naisha Polaine. Seems like a lovely little arrangement, they may well have undergone LGA checks and procedures but with what back hand help considering how integrated the whole HGGT and local councils is currently nested. Still I suppose that's good as they're unlikely to go bust given the linked relationship.
Brian
2023-10-26 07:49:50
About time they built some more doctors surgeries, the amount of people coming into this town it is going to be even harder to get an appointment, it's bad enough as it is.
Nicholas Taylor
2023-10-26 07:53:22
In response to DEC HAN, a better design could have mitigated the effect of noise and pollution. Lets not forget that this is the third attempt to fit homes on the site, the first under Labour could not physically be built, the second under the Tories was not financially viable and now the latest incarnation.
Seamus
2023-10-26 12:22:59
Dek Han, I don't think you thought your comment through. Look at where the current retirement developments are and why do you think they are there? When you look you will see that most will have given up the independence of driving either through ill health or no one has a licence. Add to that most 70's upwards do not have the internet or smartphones. Why is that important? Well if the retirement complex's are built reasonably close to the local small shops then it gives back a level of independence to those who are able. As for "shame on you" It's clear you have not read the replies properly
KELLY
2023-10-26 18:19:44
What about housing for ppl who become disabled under the age of 65 also? I gave up bidding coz i was told categorically i am not entitled to a private garden and would only be considered for another flat in a tower block. The new tenancy agreements state no mobility scooters in flats, yet i am not far from needing one. So decided im stuck in milwards in a flat that is subsiding using a rollator to get about, causing myself an awful lot of fatigue. They know milwards wasnt built to last more than 25 years, and to add insult to injury the flats in joyners field have had 3 facelifts in the 17 years ive been in milwards. There have been none hear, and im told we have to wait until next year despite them putting in harlow times it would be done by now. Will we ever get a council or mps who genuinely give a crap 🤔
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