Construction begins on new council homes for Harlow families on former Sherards House site
News / Fri 27th Jun 2025 at 06:16am
CONSTRUCTION begins on new council homes for Harlow families on former Sherards House site
Another council housing development has moved into the construction phase this week as Harlow Council begins its next chapter of building brand new council homes for Harlow families.
With clearance works complete and contractors from The Hill Group now on site at the former Sherards House, construction works to build 14 new council homes started this week.
When finished the development will provide a mix of modern two-bed and three-bed houses. All homes will be allocated to Harlow families on the Harlow Housing Needs Register.
The development will also include off-street parking, solar panels, electric vehicle charging points and improved pedestrian access. The Sherards House site has been out of use for many years and had fallen into a state of disrepair.
The council is already on site building 44 council homes in Staple Tye and there is much more to come over the next month, with mobilisation on site for construction to begin at the Elm Hatch, Arkwrights, The Yorkes and Pytt Field developments.
At present, the council is building more council homes for Harlow families than in the last thirty years combined.
Councillor Dan Swords, the Leader of Harlow Council, says that the council isn’t just talking about building council homes, it is getting on with the job of delivering new homes for Harlow residents. He said:
“This is building Harlow’s future in action. By delivering on our missions to rebuild our town and invest in our housing, not only are we transforming left-behind areas on the town like the former Sherards House site which has been derelict for years, but we are providing high-quality homes for Harlow families.
“This week we started building at Sherards House, but we have much more to come with construction beginning throughout the next month on other sites all over the town – work that we will share with you over the coming weeks.”
David Forman
2025-06-27 06:39:31
Well done Harlow Council. See what a Conservative run council can achieve. Labour, had they gained control, would have spent time and money arguing over pronouns and other woke nonsense.
Nicholas Taylor
2025-06-27 13:02:32
David, I am sorry to say you are wrong on this one. This case is a good local example of why Reform are surging in the polls, people no longer trust politicians. Many elements of this planning application were changed because it represents over development of the site. The councils own consulting arboricultural officer recommended refusal on the grounds that the handful of trees being removed were not being replaced with a sufficient alternative. What has actually happened is that over 20 trees have been removed. The, four bedroomed homes have had to be downsized to three bedroomed ones, access to eleven homes will be on a garage access road which is to narrow for cars to pass and parking in Jerounds is to be restricted. With the support of Harlow Alliance, dozens of residents objected to these proposals, stating that a reduction in numbers to seven new homes and the conversion of Sherards house into four flats was a better option. Both Conservative and Labour councilors voted to proceed, many of them not even taking the trouble to visit the site. All smacks of how residents at Bushy Croft, Bynghams and Arkwrights were misled and ignored by councillors.
Adrienne
2025-06-27 13:12:29
David Foreman I think if you investigate further you will find a labour heart to this process. Thankyou,Mr Swords for so eloquently and if I may say enthusiastically bringing a once derelict part of town into use. I am happy to hear you and am enjoying the way you are engaging yourself with your fellow constituents.Further more I am looking forward to seeing your brand new project. Thankyou again for letting us know that you will be continuing to update the public.See what a little positive feedback produces. A bit of light at the end of of a very dark tunnel. Never be afraid to speak out to your public You may gain a few more supporters.hugs. Credit where credit is due. 👍
gary roberts
2025-06-27 13:31:15
I suspect that the statement, "All homes will be allocated to Harlow families on the Harlow Housing Needs Register," is just another piece of nonsense borrowed from the Burnt Mills development but will not come to pass. But this time it has more smoke than mirrors sadly. To prove me wrong can Cllr Swords write that provision into this development and any future housing developments? He is not silly because if he or the council did that they would be open to legal challenge when they are finally built. And that would cost the council both financially and in reputation. I would be more impressed if the council stated in their statements that no council homes would be sold at any cost thus increasing the stock for those Harlow people on the housing needs register. Will that happen? No not until the right to buy in England is abolished. And that will not happen under this bad example of a Labour government.
Boris
2025-06-27 15:36:45
So we are going from a derelict building to 14 modern brand new homes. Seems a no brainer to me.
Nicholas Taylor
2025-06-27 15:55:12
Boris, a pre Harlow New Town building which Harlow Council let fall into disrepair. A site in which 14 homes are being shoe horned into. A single file vehicluar access. Little if any room on site for larger vehicles to turn around. And building houses which in due course will be subject to Right To Buy legislation. Far better to have built 7 homes (outside of Right to Buy legislation), for older people to downsize their homes and convert the house in to 4 flats for older people. More space, less traffic, better use of resources.
Ted
2025-06-27 16:04:47
Nic . It seems to me the council are dammed if they do , and dammed if they don't. They can do no right by you. Please remind me , how many are there in HAP.
Sodthisforalark
2025-06-27 16:07:59
Good - but stop people using the right to buy. Then slowly turn the tide on lack of social housing!
Owen
2025-06-27 16:19:36
It would be amazing if the council could actually maintain the housing stock they have not been painted for years the flat roofs are well over due to be replaced pointing needs done
Nicholas Taylor
2025-06-27 17:35:47
Ted, nearly 1000 residents in just four Wards voted for HAP at the last local elections. The fact is we have a council Leader not long out of school and a Housing Portfolio Holder who has never worked in Local Government let alone in Housing Management. We also have officers who come and go and planning services provided by Hertfordshire. The procedures involving Sherards House have quite frankly been appaling and it does not stop there as residents in the areas I mentioned can testify. HAPs proposals, supported by many residents would as I say, made better use of the resource available. Like me, many of HAP''s membership have decades of experience of working in local government, we can see that much of what both main Parties come out with is nothing but smoke and mirrors. As for Owens point, this is another issue HAP has taken up with the council. The house next door to mine has only been repaired and painted once in 28 years!
Seamus
2025-06-27 21:30:29
I think what it highlights is, the norm at Harlow planning department is to approve the application only for the developer wether it be the council themselves or private companies, to change the approved plan and nowhere is a better example of this as Sherrards house. Perhaps best practice should be, no matter who the developer is, if planning is approved, then ANY changes would require a complete new application. This would stop developers from lying/being incompetent/gaming the system and you would be more likely to get honest first time applications.
David Forman
2025-06-28 02:11:30
The 2018 National Planning Policy Framework introduced the term Permission in Principle. A site for housing gets permission in principle, which is stage 1. The technical aspects are thrashed out in stage 2. Hence why the plans change. The process was introduced to speed up planning by not having to go back to the start if numbers of homes deemed over development, etc.
Nicholas Taylor
2025-06-28 07:39:23
David, that did not apply here. Changes were made after the application was made and before a decision taken and then numerous others without any return to the relevant committee. These latter changes were substantial but the council deemed them not necessary to make a fresh application or of course to let residents know, let alone consult. Whichever way you look at it, this is one reason why residents no longer trust councillors and don't bother to come out and vote. Common cry is "it does not make any difference". They are right as evidenced by many of the issues HAP have taken up with the past Labour administration and now the Conservatives.
Seamus
2025-06-28 10:01:07
David, I'm a bit puzzled how a two staged process would be quicker than a one stage system? The one stage would encourage thought out and accurate applications. It would also act as a detterrent to those who game the system as the council has done with Sherrards house. What they got permission for to build, is not what will be built
Adrienne
2025-06-28 15:46:27
September is 3 months away let's see.I take it it's 2025.
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