Harlow Council join calls for new health centre on Latton Priory

News / Thu 31st Jul 2025 at 08:39am

HARLOW Council has welcomed a significant step forward in plans for Latton Priory, with an updated consultation response from local NHS bosses confirming the need for a new on-site health centre to support the proposed housing scheme.

Following extensive consultation, the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (HWE ICB) has submitted a detailed updated response to the planning application for up to 1,340 new homes on Harlow’s border. The ICB has assessed the impact of the development and identified the need for a new health centre to serve the expected 3,216 new residents. This will help protect existing Harlow GP services from additional pressure.

In addition to the new facility, the ICB is also seeking nearly £1 million in contributions towards local Mental Health and Community Healthcare services. These provisions will be secured through a Section 106 legal agreement between the developer and Epping Forest District Council (EFDC).

Harlow Council welcomes the constructive engagement between EFDC and the ICB, which reflects a shared commitment to delivering sustainable, integrated healthcare for the area. The update addresses one of the key concerns raised in Harlow Council’s formal objection to the application earlier this year. The council continues to work with EFDC and the developer to resolve other outstanding issues.

Councillor Alastair Gunn, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Garden Town and Planning, said:

“When we officially objected to the Latton Priory application, one of the biggest concerns was the impact on already stretched GP services.

“We’re pleased that, through working together with the NHS and the Harlow & Gilston Garden Town partnership, those concerns have been heard. A new health centre could benefit not only new residents but also the wider community in that part of Harlow.

“There are remaining questions about the planning application. Harlow Council will continue to play our part on behalf of our residents to get them addressed in the best way possible. Additional housing is urgently needed, nationally and locally, but that must be delivered in a way that helps build Harlow’s future.”

4 Comments for Harlow Council join calls for new health centre on Latton Priory:

Resident

2025-07-31 08:59:38

This development should 100% not be allowed to access Harlow GP and dental services. It's an Epping housing estate, no work should start until the services are in place first. It's an absolute disgrace that this is planned for Harlow's border when it's Epping housing.

FG

2025-07-31 09:01:57

And what about the local roads? London Road, the Hastingwood/M11 roundabout and Rye Hill Road CANNOT support the additional traffic created from these 3,000 residents. These roads are already gridlocked during rush hours, on North Weald market days, or if there is a minor road traffic accident on any of them. There is also the effect on the traffic into and around Epping and Epping Station. This cannot be approved!!

Seamus

2025-07-31 19:14:01

Rye Hill Road at best, can be described as a one and a half cars with and in some plces barely more than one car. The road is unsuitable for the estimated 4 years of construction traffic of which many will be hgv's and mgv's such as heavy goods low loaders. I wonder if the highways dept covering this road has received the information it asked for on this roads suitable and safe use?

Nicholas Taylor

2026-01-03 19:52:57

The EFDC page showing this planning application lists dozens of comments about the development, some of the latest include ECC, HDC and North Weald Parish Council, all of which object to the application as things stand. In the main these objections are on the grounds that the developer does not want to pay for the essential works needed to mitigate the effects of thousands of new residents wishing to enter and exit the site on a daily basis. The developer wants so spend as little as it can get away with on new and improved roads in order to protect the profits paid to shareholders.