AS we enter 2025, we wanted to get an idea of where we are with a number of proposed planning developments on or near Harlow.

Our population is now approaching 97,000 and will no doubt continue to grown and grow.

We asked the Harlow Council portfolio holder for Garden Town and Planning, councillor Alastair Gunn to give us some form of road map for all the developments .

Councillor Gunn said: “Thank you for your email, asking about where Harlow Council hopes to be on each of the four Harlow & Gilston Garden Town strategic sites by the end of 2025.

As you’ll be aware, the government has just published its revised National Planning Policy Framework which includes increased house building targets for local authorities including Harlow. 

It is too early to speak with certainty about how this will affect us in Harlow or the Garden Town initiative. However, Harlow Council did anticipate these changes when we agreed a motion in September, passed with unanimous backing. 

This set out our approach of protecting Harlow’s green spaces and on making sure we get the new infrastructure and regeneration the town needs, not just more housing. It will guide how we approach the Garden Town in 2025 and beyond.

What should be reassuring to any Harlow resident concerned about how the government’s drive to build new housing will affect us locally, is that we have a five-year housing supply and local plan in place. That means we are well protected from the planning reforms, as compared to many other councils. Harlow is in the best possible position to prevent inappropriate developments on our green belt, wedges and fingers. 

To address your question about the developments already included in the Local Plan, which were committed to in 2020, they are all at different stages. 

As the developments mostly sit outside Harlow’s current district boundaries, we are playing our part as one of the Garden Town’s partner authorities to shape them in the best interests of Harlow and its residents.

Although I cannot provide a detailed timeline, Harlow Council does have aims and objectives for each, which I hope it is helpful to you and your readers to set out:

Gilston

Starting with the Gilston Villages, in East Herts to Harlow’s north, this is the furthest along. Our priority for 2025 is for the roadworks connecting it to Harlow to be largely out the way.

We want to see congestion reduced, which the works underway from the town centre to the station are intended to help deliver. We’ll also be seeing better public transport delivered, through the works to the bus station.

It is better to get this disruptive work done before any new housing is built. However, I know they are causing problems getting around Harlow now, which may people are finding hugely frustrating. 

The New Year will see these and other roadworks north of the town due to start early in 2025 progressing. The aim must be to have the disruption they are causing behind us by this time next year, so we can get Harlow moving again. 

East of Harlow

On the East of Harlow development, Harlow Council will be very closely involved as it sits largely within our district. We are one of two planning authorities for the development alongside Epping Forest, who we’re working closely with. 

Both local authorities jointly agreed a masterplan earlier in the year. For Harlow, that means we will be better able to control and shape the development, to ensure it’s in keeping with neighbouring communities such as Churchgate Street. We are keen to avoid some of the problems we’ve seen with other new estates that have been built in recent years.

However, we urgently need clarity on what’s happening with the relocation of Princess Alexandra Hospital, which has long been integral to these plans but is now under review by central government. Until they commit to relocating the hospital to Junction 7a, as has long been planned, there is a risk this will delay the new housebuilding the government claims to be one of their priorities. 

As we all know, Harlow urgently needs a new hospital, and the whole town will be affected by this decision. I am expecting answers early in the New Year. It’s hard to look further ahead or predict where we might be in a year until we have them.

Latton Priory

For Latton Priory, to the south of Harlow in Epping Forest, YourHarlow.com readers will be aware there’s a planning application currently being considered by Epping Forest District Council. Harlow Council will be publicly responding to it, setting out our view on the application, particularly around transport where there’s several concerns with what this application is proposing. 

There are potential benefits from the development where we want to be sure Harlow residents will stand to gain, such as access to improved sports facilities for example. 

It’s up to Epping Forest to determine the current application. Their decision will affect how quickly things move forward. It would not be helpful for me to speculate where we’ll be in twelve months’ time whilst they are still considering the application.

Harlow Council’s aim throughout will remain pushing for the maximum benefit for Harlow residents from the development and working to avoid adding to congestion on Harlow’s roads.

Water Lane

Finally, there is a proposed development called Water Lane, which would again be in Epping Forest. If this goes ahead, it would be beyond Sumners and Katherines, outside Harlow’s district boundary. 

This is very much on the backburner as we reach the end of 2024. However, we have seen the huge increase in housing targets for Epping announced by the government. We should therefore anticipate renewed interest in Water Lane during 2025.

It remains the case, in line with the motion we agreed in September, that Harlow Council’s support for any new development depends on our being satisfied it is going to be good overall for Harlow and its current residents. How much progress Water Lane will make over the coming year comes down to whether it can meet that test.

Conclusion

Whatever happens, we will remain focused on our mission to rebuild our town, renew our neighbourhoods and secure investment for Harlow. You can already see these beginning to be delivered, especially in our town centre where its regeneration is well underway. New leisure and retail such as David Lloyd, Waterstones and M&S are coming to Harlow because they see the town is heading in the right direction. 

All of this is being made possible because of the Garden Town initiative and the planned growth of our town. The real hope for 2025 is for Harlow itself to be in better shape by the end of the year than it was at the start, bringing decades of decline to an end as we build a better future for our town.