Harlow Council appoints architects as major progress made on renewing Terminus House
News / Tue 3rd Mar 2026 at 11:19am
SIGNIFICANT progress is being made towards the redevelopment of Terminus House, marking a major milestone in the rebuild of Harlow town centre.
Following the council securing a deal to purchase the site last year, architects have now been formally appointed to lead the redesign of both Terminus House and its adjoining car park.
The redevelopment will see the site completely transformed with the council exploring plans to turn the site into a high-quality hotel and new homes for Harlow residents.
The appointment of architects signals the start of a comprehensive redevelopment programme – one that will be shaped directly by local people. With the initial ideas for the site released today, consultation will take place as the plans develop to ensure residents are at the heart of shaping the building’s future and the wider town centre environment.
The redevelopment of Terminus House, taking it from a controversial past to a renewed future, forms a key part of the council’s mission to rebuild the town.
The council exchanged contracts for the purchase last summer. In the meantime, the current owners are continuing to support those currently living in Terminus House into suitable accommodation outside of Harlow. As soon as that process is complete, Harlow Council will take ownership of the building and the regeneration will begin. However, the council isn’t standing still – it is moving at pace to begin the long‑overdue regeneration of this site as soon as possible.
Announcing the latest progress, Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said: “This is one of the most significant moments in the regeneration of our town centre in a generation. Terminus House has long cast a shadow over Harlow’s heart, and today marks the beginning of the end of that chapter. By appointing architects and pushing ahead at pace, we are turning a symbol of decline into a flagship of renewal.
“We said we would get on with redeveloping the town centre – and we are delivering. We are acquiring key sites, transforming them, and leaving no stone unturned in our mission to rebuild our town and restore pride. And you can see the progress both on the ground now and into the future.
“As part of Budget 2026, we are committing the funding needed to deliver this redevelopment – putting real investment behind our promise to transform this site and the wider town centre.
“The renewal of Terminus House is more than a building project; it represents the future we’re building for Harlow: modern, safe, high‑quality homes and a town centre that residents can once again be proud of. This is real regeneration, and this is how we Build Harlow’s Future.”
Seamus
2026-03-03 13:36:51
My concern here is, This council said a few years ago when the new bus station was being mentioned, that they would tear down the eyesore that is terminus house. That proved to be a porkie when they bought Terminus house last year. The bit that worries me is normal convention is to buy the land/property AFTER you have had architects put forward a design and a costing so when they move forward, they know what the constraints are and the costs. What Dan Swords seems to have done is buy it first and then ask afterwards, what are we building and how much will it cost? Doing it that way you are already on the hook no matter what the cost is and that, has been Dan's pattern all along.
Chin
2026-03-04 08:03:00
Still no new shops, just housing any news of any decent ones coming to Harlow Town in the near future.
Gary Roberts
2026-03-04 08:12:07
Remind me: is the elections in May 2026? All this development and nothing has yet been completed. A case of jam tomorrow completion in 3 years. My friends tell me the "new" road layout is even worse than before it 2 years ago. And they are professional drivers. The question is, will Cllr Swords still be in office in May 2026?
Sarah
2026-03-04 08:27:36
The current residents had to leave Harlow? Regeneration is great, except rental prices go through the roof and nobody local can afford to live there. They'll attract people moving out of London who are will to pay inflated rent prices, and Harlow will turn into a commuter town
Marie
2026-03-04 08:31:41
All those traffic lights as you come to the roundabout on the new road layout is a joke. It has only served to cause chaos with traffic backing up right to the hamburger roundabout. They made the road wider ,but only to put in bus lanes, whose stupid idea was that !? It's worst now than it was before.. Roundabouts are there to let the traffic flow. By adding traffic lights in all directions has had the opposite affect.
Pinky
2026-03-04 08:57:39
Marie you are totally right we dont need all those traffic lights where are all the people crossing them it's a joke ...and like my husband said how on earth are the fire engines going to get down that road there's no room...and I hope someone is going to water all those plants too ....
andrew odonnell
2026-03-04 13:58:31
People have moaned all the time about Harlow getting run down , lack of homes and regeneration , well its happening so stop creating. Like to know how many people moaning don`t actually pay council tax and its covered by the very council they are moaning about !
Andy
2026-03-04 14:01:15
Previous post was not posted by the named author
Jim Crowley
2026-03-04 16:22:42
It is my professional assessment that the council's current planning initiatives may not be adequately addressing existing infrastructure deficiencies. Specifically, Maddox Road has remained in a state of disrepair for the sixth consecutive year, leading to significant traffic congestion. My primary concern revolves around the timeline for scheduled repairs to this critical thoroughfare. It is important to note that over the past two years, the closure of Mandella Avenue has diverted substantial traffic volume onto Maddox Road, given its direct connectivity to Second Avenue and Howard Way.
Pinky
2026-03-04 20:47:53
I pay my taxes but don't like to see it wasted .as for regeneration flats are not the answer just look at all in towns flats edmonds tower willowfield tower hughs tower pennymead tower terminus house spring hills tower all problem areas run down entrances and drug problems rubbish dumped out side.go back to houses.
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