HEALTH bosses have written to Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) stressing the importance of enhanced health provision as part of the Latton Priory housing development.

The submission is by the own Planning Policy Manager for the NHS Hertfordshire & West Essex ICB, Rachael Donovan.

The Chief Executive of the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board is Jane Halpin and Chair, Rt Hon. Paul Burstow.

The development will see over 1300 homes and more than 3,000 people move to the border of Harlow.

The development will stretch from close to McDonald’s at Hastingwood across to Rye Hill Road

In a detailed document they have stated the bottom line is:

“This scale of development at Latton Priory, together with the inclusion of use class C2 will have an impact on primary and community and mental health care provision in the area, and its implications, if unmitigated, would be unsustainable for the NHS.

“It is noted that the planning application proposes medical/health services within the mixed-use local centre, with the draft Heads of Terms allowing for either the provision of a new medical centre or a financial contribution for offsite provision”.

The report notes that the Harlow GP surgeries, despite under extreme pressure are not allowed to close their lists.

Patients are at liberty to choose which GP practice to register with, providing they live within the
practice boundary. However, most patients choose to register with the surgery closest and/or most
easily accessible to their home for the following reasons: walking distance, quickest journey time,
accessibility by public transport and parking provision.

Despite premises constraints GP Practices are not allowed to close their lists to new registrations
without consultation with, and permission from the HWE ICB. Even when surgeries are significantly
constrained, the NHS will seek to avoid a situation where a patient is denied access to their nearest
GP surgery, with patient lists only closed in exceptional circumstances.

The nearest GP surgeries will be Hamilton and Ross Practice in Bush Fair and Lister House in Staple Tye.

The report asserts;

In reviewing the PCN data and as explained above, The Hamilton Practice and The Ross Practice, the closest practices, will be unable to accommodate the additional patient numbers arising from Latton Priory, and indeed potential future housing growth in and around the vicinity of the development. 

And so concludes:

In reviewing all options, the HWE ICB has concluded that new health infrastructure in the form of on-site provision for a new medical facility will be needed to accommodate additional patient numbers arising from this development.

The submission the goes on to detail the financial options for different scenarios (see below).

The submission concludes:

“Subject to securing the healthcare infrastructure to mitigate the health service impacts arising from this development, the HWE ICB does not raise an objection to the proposed development.

“The HWE ICB looks forward to working with the Council and the applicant to address the mattersraised in this consultation response and would appreciate acknowledgement of receipt of this letter”.

As far as we understand, there has yet to be a date set to for the planning application to come before the EFDC committee.

We invited Harlow Council to respond but they have yet to reply.