Plans to convert Harlow magistrates court into conference centre

Planning / Sun 17th May 2026 at 10:53am

PLANS to convert Harlow magistrates court into a conference centre have been submitted to the planning department at Harlow Council.

The magistrates court building is next to the police station in the town centre.

More details of the application can be found on the Harlow Council planning page.

Look for HW/FUL/26/00126

This plan may well go before the Harlow Council planning committee.

6 Comments for Plans to convert Harlow magistrates court into conference centre:

Adam

2026-05-17 17:14:26

Would be better to re open it as a court again

Seamus

2026-05-17 19:21:32

Surely Mr Lammy would welcome this opening for court business again so then he wouldn't have to scrap many trial by jury cases, to relieve the work load? I thought Market house was going to have multiple new smaller business offices with multiple conference centres to rent out? There is something afoot with this application. It has claimed all of the green areas around the perimeter wall out as far as the kerbs and the proposed layout could easily serve as an alternative use not fully disclosed.

AB

2026-05-17 19:53:14

Surely the location is big enough for the new M&S. Save the bluebell wood!

Gary Roberts

2026-05-18 08:48:08

Really? I suspect it will be agreed.

TonyB

2026-05-18 13:20:53

What is wrong with reopening the Magistrates Court? The Labour government are pushing for quick trials by Judges instead of juries. Harlow’s Magistrates Court has a corridor from the Police station to the Court leaving the media outside stumped for photos. It must be the Labour Government justice department flogging off the silver at the expense of the community who provide witness statements and the accused that have to travel miles to Chelmsford or Colchester to get a simple Magistrates Court hearing.

TonyB

2026-05-18 13:26:18

Why a conference centre? Once The Gibbard Art gallery moves from the Civic building they will have loads more empty space upstairs, there will only be the council chamber and a few offices left. That is where a conference centre could be built as it has parking.