Major transformation of Market House begins as Harlow Council secures new future for landmark building
News / Fri 21st Nov 2025 at 08:26am
HARLOW Council has today announced that full redevelopment works will commence at Market House this month, marking a major step forward in the regeneration of Harlow town centre. The building will not be demolished, but rather transformed, alongside a new agreement that will deliver high-quality, flexible office space inside the building.
Market House has stood at the heart of Harlow for generations, but years of decline have left it empty and neglected. The council bought the building earlier this year and has been working to agree a deal for a new tenant of the office space as well as designs for its transformation which will reverse that picture – restoring a key landmark and signalling renewed confidence in Market Square and the wider town centre.
The external refurbishment will completely revitalise the building’s appearance, creating a striking, modern look that celebrates Harlow’s New Town heritage. This work forms a central part of the council’s wider programme to bring new life and activity back into Market Square, reshaping it into a more vibrant and welcoming destination.
A new deal agreed by the council will see the upper floors brought back into use as high-quality offices operated by leading flexible workspace provider Co-Space. This new business hub will support local entrepreneurs, growing companies and national firms, helping to create an environment where businesses can connect, innovate and thrive.
When Market House reopens next year, more than 300 jobs are expected to return to the town centre in a deal which will see significant revenue for the council. Combined with the wider multi-million-pound regeneration of Market Square – which will deliver new bars, restaurants, nightlife, market space and high-quality office space – the project represents a significant investment in the future of Harlow.
The wider transformation of Market Square is also progressing, with works on the main square itself due to begin imminently. Further announcements on Adams House and The Rows are expected shortly as the council accelerates its programme of town centre renewal.
The Market Square transformation is just one phase of the complete rebuilding of the town centre, with the transformation of Broad Walk nearing completion and major works in the Playhouse Quarter, Bus Station and Strawberry Star site underway.
Announcing the transformation, Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said:
“The transformation of Market House is a landmark moment for Harlow. For too long, it has stood as a symbol of decline at the heart of our town, now we are turning that around – creating a building that embodies renewal, ambition, and opportunity. But this is not just about one building; transforming Market House, and the wider Market Square, shows that we are not just promising to rebuild the town centre – we are delivering it.
“With construction starting this month and a high-quality operator secured, Market House will reopen next year, bringing people together, supporting new ideas, and creating opportunities for businesses to thrive. Be in no doubt, these works will radically change the northern end of the town centre and in a way that does not mean years of broken promises and disruption.
“In a matter of months, residents will be once again proud of the northern end of the town centre. That is what Building Harlow’s Future means and today is a shining example of the fact we are delivering on our promises.”
CEO and co-founder of Co-Space, William Stokes, added:
“We’re excited to partner with Harlow Council to bring Co-Space to the area. The vision for Harlow aligns with the ethos of Co-Space, and we’re excited to be working hard alongside local parties to support not only the redevelopment efforts of the wider area, but also the wider business network, by bringing Harlow’s first with design-led workspace.”
Stuart G
2025-11-21 09:36:24
This is a good move and hopefully will be well received. All being well the other derelict eyesores that border Market Square will be next. Would love to know where all the money to do this is coming from though!
Nicholas Taylor
2025-11-21 11:07:35
Offices? Has anyone at the Council not wondered why this office space has lain empty for a decade or more and why have all the former office blocks in the Town Centre been converted into flats? This is a wasted opportunity, it is here that a new 1000+ seater theatre should have been built with a live music venue and exhbition space alongside it. The plan for this site will do nothing to increase footfall in large enough numbers to create a vibrant north end of the Town Centre. As for 300 jobs, well that is wishful thinking, my parents had an office in this building for many years and there was never more than 100 people working there even in the good old days when staff actually went into an office.
Stuart G
2025-11-21 11:29:54
Nicholas - these are start up and flexible office spaces for small businesses rather than a large one, plus they already have a provider on board. I'd argue this is absolutely the sort of thing we need in Harlow - I'm not aware of any other flexible office space (like WeWork or Beyond) in the town. They also have a provider signed up for the management of it. I think this will be a massive success. Also, the office space that has lain empty or been converted was not suitable for modern office requirements - this will be a fully modernised block so ideal for flexible office use.
Nicholas Taylor
2025-11-21 11:44:54
Stuart G, well there are such spaces advertised at three locations in the Town including at Westgate House nearby. In it's hayday the building was occupied by numerous small firms, but like my parents, in due course many started working from home. I stand by my comment that this is a wasted opportunity for this unique site situated as it is alongside a large open space near the bus station.
jarrett
2025-11-21 12:40:46
Stuart, I know of two in Harlow, one on Edinburgh Way and another at Greenway Business centre.
Stuart G
2025-11-21 14:04:02
Thanks Jarrett - but neither of those are located in the town centre, nor are of the same calibre of what's proposed here. Either way I still think this is a great idea, and probably the most financially efficient for the council as it requires minimal intervention. One would also assume that some form of local demand testing has been done that has shown there is demand for this sort of thing in this location, else the likes of Co-Space wouldn't have taken a punt on the building.
Seamus
2025-11-21 15:35:50
Offices means workers, workers means cars. Given the council is trying to sell post office car park to developers to build on, where will all the extra parking come from? This is a huge concern for any company who might want to buy/rent these office spaces?
jenny
2025-11-21 16:25:21
Great to see that the article only used 'hub' and 'design-led' once each - A great step forward in co-working journalism. Now lets see if the council leader can go a few paragraphs without using 'transformation'.
Matt
2025-11-21 17:14:49
I (and I suspect a large number of people), are in agreement with Stuart - I'd absolutely bite their hand off to rent a space in this new office. I don't want to work in offices that are built to 1960s standards in inconvenient locations. I want nice bright, new open-plan offices in the town centre. I understand Seamus's point, but there's a brand new bus station on the way, plenty of cycle paths and multiple multi-story car parks, whilst a consideration I don't think it's as big a problem as first envisaged. Offices also mean that workers spend money in the vicinity of the office; coffees, lunches, gyms...etc. I think this'll be a fantastic addition to the town centre.
Harlow is on the up - buy your house now
2025-11-21 19:50:47
Great news. Harlow is on the up! The transformation of Harlow is underway. Make sure you buy your house in Harlow before it becomes the next unaffordable commuter town. The value of Harlow compared to other nearby towns is ridiculously good value for money!
Mr George
2025-11-22 00:50:58
Can buy mine if you like HIOTU-BYHN. Harlow is a dump, litter and fly tipping everywhere, not collected by council. .ugly biildings and homes not maintained by the council, people with unsociable attitudes. There is a reason that it is cheaper here is down to demand. Nobody wants to move here, it is horrible.
Staff
2025-11-22 09:00:23
The is a really good step towards gentrification, the sooner we price out the poor people the better.
gary roberts
2025-11-22 09:10:40
I would wait until Wednesday's Budget before making such claims about how the town is being transformed. Add the possible changes of political governance in both local elections in May and local government re-organisation between councils next year. The financial position is currently unknown for such extensive planned building works in the town. Perhaps the council can provide a detailed spreadsheet so that the residents' can know how much of the debt they are responsible for. Will they? .....
TonyB
2025-11-22 14:28:46
I believe this was a missed opportunity by Harlow Conservatives. With the proposed 23,000 new homes around Harlow, plus all of the residential sky scrapers within the town centre that have already been given planning permission, land availability in the town centre is already limited, providing entertainment facilities for such an increase in population (it will double) surly is in the remit of Harlow Conservative Council. Harlow Council (four years ago) own the former Birdcage, Highwire, Millennium etc nightclub / disco but remains empty. Harlow Conservatives are proposing building a new venue (cos they have loads of money) which is on the face of it a replacement to The Square music venue that Essex Conservative council (and many Harlow Conservatives) sold to property developers. The new venue has been described as a multifunction room, to my mind this means a hall where acoustics are rubbish. Oh, and the maximum amount of people allowed inside will be 200, just remember the town’s population will double, existing population is 97 to 100 thousand people, then think how lucky you might be able to get a ticket. The former Square was often described by performing artists as one of the best small venue with brilliant acoustics. Then we come to the location of this new venue, in front of the Playhouse but directly opposite two new tower blocks that Harlow Conservative Council want to build on the former Ocasio House site. The noise complaints are already in the post. Continuing with Harlow Conservative Council policy of creating a “dead town night life” all entertainment has already been decided; everything will close at midnight as the Harlow Conservative Council want to make Harlow town centre residential, so there cannot be any noise. I agree totally with Nicholas Taylor, this should have been the site of a NEW PLAYHOUSE, the existing playhouse has 404 seats, many of which are very close together, it was built when customers were much smaller, making the customer reluctant to purchase a seat beyond the centre aisle. Out of the 404 seats ten are for the most important person, the sound person, then there are producer and staff seats which can affect the availability of seats to the public, I have counted 26 seats that were already unavailable many times six or seven months in advance, this of course is in addition to the sound person seating arrangement, which means roughly around 370 seats are available to a future population of 200,000 people . As to the new offices, it might be an idea if there was parking, many people are not aware of the office people that already work within the town centre, they used to park in the Kitson Way car park behind the old Oden cinema, then the new owners Places for People decided to evict them as they had a bigger customer, Princes Alexandra Hospital staff. The office people had a choice, Post office Car park or Terminus House car park. Then Places for People decided to evict the Hospital staff because they had planning permission to build two sixteen story tower blocks. The Hospital staff together with the office staff are all left with the one remaining car park to use, Terminus House. Harlow Conservative Council have the foolish idea that everyone who works in Harlow lives in Harlow, they seem unaware of the traffic queues on First Avenue, Second Avenue and Southern Way every morning and evening as workers try to get to work and home. Harlow Conservative Council are so unaware of what the future Harlow will look like that they are diligently building more and more STC’s which are Bus lanes with traffic lights giving priority to Taxis, Buses, motor bikes, cycles and pedestrians, which will in turn increase traffic congestion and queues on the M11. Harlow Conservative Council live in a fool’s paradise where everyone uses the bus, I was reminded the other day that to travel two miles across Harlow would cost twelve pounds return by using the bus network, three pounds into the town centre then another three pounds to the destination then repeat the cost and time.
Shaz
2025-11-23 13:27:10
I agree with Matt, I used to work in a We Work office in Waterloo. We used it as a co-working space for a project. What a lot of people don't realise, possibly because they've not experienced it, is that there is a demand for these sorts of services by companies. If they are working on large projects that involve multiple companies (and therefore security issues) its a useful option. Plus as also noted, a good option for start-ups and small businesses who need a flexible office option.
Gonestone Pigledge
2025-11-24 03:43:21
Whether one likes it or not change is coming and the town is moving forward. There will always be voices against progression, status quo leads to stagnation, and we`ve had enough of that. I like this forward thinking.
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