Estate maps being cleaned up across Harlow
Harlow Council / Tue 13th May 2025 at 07:31am
HARLOW Council is nearing completion of a revamp of estate map boards across the town, as part of its mission to renew our neighbourhoods.
Many of the maps had fallen into disrepair and have been in need of attention for some time. As well as the boards providing directions for residents and visitors, they also add character to our estates.
The board replacement scheme is the final part of a wider project to replace street name signage, which last year saw the replacement of street nameplates. Around 1,400 have been replaced as part of this project.
So far 29 map boards have been replaced, with a further 6 left to do to complete the project.
Councillor Nicky Purse, cabinet portfolio holder for environment and sustainability, said:
“These map boards add to the unique character of our housing estates as well as being a useful tool for visitors to the area to find their way around. Unfortunately, over time, many of the old boards have fallen into disrepair and so it is great to see them being renewed. Over the next few months, we will see the final map board replacements carried out, to complement the work we did last year to replace old and worn-out street name signs.
“These are relatively small changes to the area, but they do have a big impact on the look and feel of our housing areas, and contribute to our mission to renew our neighbourhoods.”
Mark Gobell
2025-05-13 09:51:38
Excellent news. Now all that remains after the estate maps have been cleaned up, is for the estates to be cleaned up. Milwards for example - a shining beacon of Council estate neglect. Disgraceful.
Harlow lifer
2025-05-14 05:00:39
Well done hts good work.
Ted
2025-05-14 07:01:41
Mark totally agree , when was the last time Milwards properties saw a paint brush
Colleen Morrison
2025-05-14 07:28:56
Mark Gobell, you are right, some of Harlow's neighbourhoods have been badly neglected - by 35 years of Labour councils, since long before the Conservatives gained control of our council, first in 2002-2006, then in 2021. Milwards has been in a dreadful state for 20-30 years. The problem is finding the huge amount of money required to clean up and regenerate these long neglected neighbourhoods which 35 years of Labour councils bequeathed to the Conservatives. So, well done, Harlow Council, Cllr Nicky Purse and Council Leader Dan Swords in particular, for driving the regeneration of Harlow's neglected neighbourhoods, as the funds available allow. Replacing Harlow's plastic street signs is hugely important, not just because they are in such a state, but because they are infested with algae, which could create a public health as well as aesthetic issues. Algae loves plastic, because it needs to use the carbon in plastic to fuel its growth and spore production. To access the carbon, algae excretes enzymes which degrade plastic, breaking it down into microscopic microplastic particles, which stick to the microscopic algae cells. Over quite a short period of time, this destroys our plastic street signs and makes them unreadable, like those in the photos above. Once the green algae and its yellow 'blooms' (colonies of thousands of tiny algae cells, each producing spores) turns black and dies, the algae and microplastics drop off into our environment, where the microplastic can enter the food chain.
Colleen Morrison
2025-05-14 07:37:18
Microplastics are now being found everywhere: in soil, ponds, rivers, our oceans, the arctic, in fish and other marine animals, in the food chain, in mother's milk, in babies, in human bodies, in our blood and many of our organs and in all but three brands of bottled water. Research has shown that microplastics in human bodies can change the nature of cells and cause other issues. However, the microplastic collection abilities of some species of algae might be adapted to mitigate the problem of microplastics in the environment, so its not all bad. The old plastic street signs Harlow has had for years are easily and quickly damaged by algae - and these plastic signs encourage algae growth and microplastic infestations, whereas Sir Freddie Gibberd's original signs appear to be more algae resistant. It's to Cllr Dan Swords and Cllr Nicky Purse's credit that they are replacing Harlow's old signs with more algae resistant ones. They look great too. Thank you, Dan and Nicky.
David Forman
2025-05-14 08:30:12
Good to see the local environment improving. All thanks to a Conservative run council carefully managing the finances and concentrating on delivering services. The last Labour lot were too absorbed in delivering political correctness and waist high grass during the pandemic lockdowns.
Kim
2025-05-14 09:20:27
Colleen Morrison, where was you when we were fighting to save our river stort.? What your council have let go through is more than just algae .. its a pity you and Dan swords, and Nicky purse, didn't pick up on this vandalism this destruction, and damage to the environment, and wildlife, before preaching how you care. Not.
Ian Brown
2025-05-14 09:23:10
The fact that there is a need for such signs, means that there is something intrinsically wrong, with the house numbering system. Embarrassing
Colleen Morrison
2025-05-14 13:27:40
A development of 10,000 homes had to be built in Harlow. A development of this size could not be built within Harlow's then existing boundaries, as substantial infilling within Harlow and unacceptable loss of Harlow's green spaces would be required for this. This would have damaged Harlow and the quality of life of its people. It would have exacerbated Harlow's traffic pressures to an unsustainable extent. Ten thousand homes could only be built on the outskirts of the town. I have spent years on previous occasions campaigning against other proposed developments, and the full council even voted against one of these and refused the developers permission. However, the developer then Appealed to the government, thereby requiring a huge sum of council taxpayers' money to be spent fighting the Appeal. Despite the council fighting the developers, the government overturned the council's decision, and allowed the development to proceed. I knew this would happen again with the Gilston development, if the council voted against it, the developer would Appeal to the government against the council's decision and that decision would be overturned. I therefore decided that it would be pointless to fight this proposal because the government would support the developers.
Kim
2025-05-14 16:55:36
Colleen Morrison, when we stood to fight for the stort, you and your council would not even meet with us, you all shut the door on us. Except one. YOU DID NOT MENTION THE BRIDGE, BEING BUILT OVER THE STORT, WHICH IS IN HARLOW. Please don't mention the traffic, you have decided to over load our boarders with thousands upon thousands of unaffordable housing, with very little affordability, which developer's have, dropped the affordability significantly. How s is this helping people waiting on homes. THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A TERRIBLE IMPACT ,ON OUR ALL READY CROWDED ROADS. Your council has not back bone, to stand up for our town and our environment. Please don't pass the buck backwards and forwards, your council was not there for the people standing to save our stort from the beginning. Dan swords, never once spoke to us. All most 7 ,000 signatures, ignored at every cut and turn. Your council is destroying Harlow, it's becoming unrecognisable, with all the destruction. Over loading a small town with thousands of more cars is never a good idea. Boxed in all around the boarders, one thing was nice about living here was, it didn't matter what way you went out , you were in the country side... well it won't be any more.
Colleen Morrison
2025-05-14 17:27:07
Kim, I met with and listened to a number of those opposed to the development and discussed the issues with them. I also spent a couple of hours with Neil, walking over the site with him and we discussed all of the issues. One of the campaigns I was a co-organiser of was the Harlow Civic Society's campaign for a traffic by pass for Harlow. I've since then been shown the position where the traffic bypass will be on a local map. What I don't know is when the bypass will be built, but it will have to be built to reduce the amount of traffic going through Harlow.
Colleen Morrison
2025-05-14 17:37:58
Kim, Where would you build the 10,000 homes that Harlow has to build? Perhaps you should consider standing for election to the council, then you can try to change the council practices that you are critical of.
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