Market House now owned by Harlow Council in next phase of rebuilding our town
Harlow Council / Wed 9th Jul 2025 at 07:49am
THE council has now finalised its purchase of Market House as it moves to the next phase of its mission to rebuild our town reports Harlow Council.
With the purchase now signed and sealed, construction work to redevelop Market House as part of the wider transformation of the Market Square area will start shortly. This will also see the refurbishment of Adams House and the creation of a hub of leisure and hospitality with bars, restaurants, outdoor dining, a street trading market space and a reinvigorated public square.
The redevelopment of Market Square is one phase of the complete rebuilding of the town centre which is underway, and works on the area will begin in late summer this year.
Commenting on the purchase, Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said:
“We said we were going to buy Market House and now we have done it. Without control over these buildings, it is impossible for the council to regenerate the area in the way residents deserve. That’s why we’ve bought it, and we can now get on with the complete redevelopment of Market Square into a hub of leisure and hospitality. This is not about a repaving or new planters, this is building Harlow’s future in action.
“We are now enacting our vision to create a space which features bars, restaurants, clubs and more; a destination that residents will want to socialise and enjoy their daytimes and evenings in. Now that the purchase of Market House is signed and sealed, we can begin the construction wo
tim
2025-07-09 08:39:49
i get the feeling that dan swords is all blah blah blah just look at occasio house , much like many mp's in parliament
gary roberts
2025-07-09 09:23:51
Has anyone seen the plans for Market House and Adams House? If you have, what are they?
Kim
2025-07-09 09:34:16
Has Dan swords considered the noise that will be created by putting theses facilities there, and then place people above in flats. What about people that do night work. It's a bit like moving the rugby club in a residential area, you get no peace at weekend s. Of course the council doesn't consider theses things.. who are we..
Nicholas Taylor
2025-07-09 09:51:11
Gary, Planning Permission was granted many months ago to put another storey on top of the existing ones, convert the offices to flats and to build another block immediately behind it. Some affordable (not really affordable) flats were I think included. One does have to wonder about the shop tenants who are already there, will they be forced out to make way for the glitzy image that Cllr Swords alludes to? One might point out that the Council spent over £250,000 only four years ago resurfacing Market Square and fitting the infamous table tennis tables, that did nothing to improve the area. A trip to Epping Market last Monday shows what a virbrant area Market Square could be if only our councillors would listen!
Seamus
2025-07-09 11:27:12
It's unlikely to start any time soon if you think about it, no matter what Dan says. Until the bus station is fixed and ready to go, then the temporary bus station in the Post office car park will continue to be needed. With that temporary bus station where it is, it is impossible to knock down Market house and rebuild. Dan knows this so either, the new bus station will be finished and up and running in the next few weeks or Dan once again has a problem matching claims, with actual events.
Ted
2025-07-09 14:54:18
Moan , Moan , Moan . He's dammed if he does and dammed if he don't. You lot go on about regenerating the town , especially market square , and still Moan when he starts. I will love to see want you have to say when it's all done. Humble pie can be quite difficult to swallow. Keep it up Dan.
Mazzy
2025-07-09 14:57:08
The town is an absolute dump with building work everywhere, but nothing being finished.
DJ
2025-07-09 18:51:36
Or even started MAZZY
,Resident 2
2025-07-09 19:57:07
Come on people if Harlow Lets try to spread a bit of poitivity about the town. The market square has been a sad place for many years, lets hope it can be returned to the thriving, bustling place it used to be. Many other towns support busy markets, so why cant Harlow? Prove the doom momgers wro g Dan and lets all get behind the refurb.
Seamus
2025-07-09 20:24:08
Seeing your'e a fan of Dans Ted perhaps you can get some answers from him? How much did the Burnt mill development cost Harlow council (us)? How much did the star properties cost Harlow council (us)?, How much did Occasio House cost the council(us)?. How much did Adams House cost the council (us)? How much did Market House cost the council (us)?. Do you have any actual dates when these projects are due to start? Do You have any exact dates these projects are due to be completed? What impact will the drop in revenue from the Harvey Centre and the town car parks have on the council's (us) ability to repay all of the above projects? If you could find those out Ted then that will be grand because Dan and his fellow councillors seem either unable or unwilling to let the people of Harlow know. Could you also ask Dan, does he have to declare all the above to partners in the proposed unitary body partners. Any help you could give on the above Ted would be greatly appreciated.
Mr McGuffin
2025-07-09 22:04:44
Honestly I hope they keep the building looking as close to the original as possible, keep that mid-century heritage. I think we genuenly need more Constructivism, English Humanism and Brutalism in new projects- that new Lister medical ventre is a very tasteful rip on Le Corbusier. Some people joke about mid-century heritage, but 2025 is as distant to 1950 as 1950 was to 1875...
David
2025-07-09 22:15:26
The Town Centre has been neglected for years, its nice to see some positive steps to begin to put this right.
DJBUK
2025-07-10 06:47:03
Knock it all down and start with new buildings!
Sean
2025-07-10 07:57:02
"residents will want to socialise and enjoy their daytimes and evenings"........one can well imagine the people this area will attract, as it has already, or will be expecting an even lower level from Londons overspill.
JingleBellBall
2025-07-10 08:37:35
Where will the winos and druggies go once you’ve demolished that area? They will, no doubt, infest some other area of Harlow and the same behaviour will continue and then some other poor sods will be lumbered with them!
Jimbo
2025-07-10 12:56:22
Was it dan swords that was the lead of Surrey council and they went bust doing this same thing? Borrowing money and not finishing
Dan
2025-07-10 13:17:35
Will all be finished by the year 3000 If we're lucky might run over knock down and don't build
Nicholas Taylor
2025-07-10 14:19:45
Starslider, the Conservatives have controlled Harlow Council for over 4 years. Both main Parties are as bad as each other, evidenced by the fact that you did not know that labour lost control in May 2021!
Starslider
2025-07-10 15:03:24
Nicholas Taylor, yes I am aware. Both Conservative and Labour are responsible for the shocking state of the Town and I can't see it improving.
Lin
2025-11-28 16:56:45
At least the town is improving. Surely it must be better to improve the look of the town than to let it slowly get worse. Stop being so negative people and be grateful for the work being carried out.
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