Plans submitted for key worker housing on old The Square site next to hospital
News / Wed 31st Dec 2025 at 11:07am
Amendment: In an éarlier version, we stated that the plans had been submitted by Princess Alexandra Hospital. This was incorrect. They have been submitted by a private company. However, the hospital has submitted a letter of support. We apologise.
A MAJOR planning application for key worker accommodation next to Princess Alexandra Hospital has been submitted to Harlow Council.
The plans could house over 300 key workers at the development on Fourth Avenue.
Looking at the map, it appears to be the land formerly occupied by The Square.
For many, it is another indication that the direction of travel will be re-development of what they have rather than the new hospital off Junction 7a.
This was the subject of a news item, two weeks ago.
The application comprises hundreds of pages.
The application states: “This is for development of the site to provide mixed use development across 2 buildings, comprising purpose-built key worker accommodation (Sui Generis), residential units (Class C3) and commercial floorspace (Class E) at ground floor level, soft and hard landscaping, pedestrian and vehicular access, cycle parking and all other works associated with the development.
We will be having a deeper dive into this application in the new year.
Meanwhile, click below for more details.
Go to:www.harlow.gov.uk and look for HW/FUL/25/00504 on planning portal.
Three years ago, we visited the location. See film below.
Adam
2025-12-31 11:19:25
Why is a hospital one that is failing at that putting in planning permission for housing. There is no such thing as a key worker everyone who works is key (arguably the real key workers are those who pay taxes so not the public sector). schemes like this are why the UK housing market is so messed up. Let the hospital focus on fixing itself and not building houses. Mean while just abolish the town and country planning act and planning permission and let people build what they want on land they own. No wonder this country is in the mess it is everyone is a special case.
Anon
2025-12-31 11:43:33
What they need to build is more clinical space, more outpatient clinics.
Anne
2025-12-31 13:27:36
This is insane. A completely dysfunctional hospital with one of the poorest quality ratings in the country submitting a real estate application. This type or priority setting and where effort is focused is the exact proof why this hospital is not functioning properly. The gov needs to conduct an investigation here from management to employee urgently
Seamus
2025-12-31 14:47:40
Can we first establish who owns the land which looks like it is the plot where "The Square" was?. It claims to be a development of two blocks upto 9 stories high. It will add another 264 households to Addison House and will be added to Harlow hospital's possible customers list. Then there is one sentence that hides the lie that these are for key workers.Under the traffic management section it says this " There is no provision for on-site resident car parking other than the proposed 3 accessible parking bays serving both the Key Worker and Residential elements. ". It gives no definition of the term key worker nor does it define how many of the units will be for those "key workers" and how many will be "non key workers". Something about this application not only smells but it stinks. One of the worst peforming hospitals in the country can build rental properties but not use the land for expanding the hospital services to try and raise standards. What makes it worse is if you look at the application, it has tonnes of documentation which some will have taken months to get so the snakes have known for ages they were going to do this.
J
2025-12-31 17:52:09
If PAH/Nhs own this land why aren't they using it to extend the hospital? I'm told they're not going to build a new one know but, improve the old one so, shouldn't this land be part of the improvement?
Wendy Morley
2026-01-01 08:45:12
We all know what certain staff members will get priority if places were to be built there.
Paul Pegrum
2026-01-01 09:44:58
Just give the people of Harlow what was promised and what they deserve a new hospital that by now should have been well on the way to being delivered
Jeannette Morley
2026-01-01 09:52:17
Any news on the new hospital? No? There's a shock..
Shaz
2026-01-02 06:56:31
@Adam - you were today years old when you found out that public sector workers also pay tax.
David Forman
2026-01-02 10:31:26
The site comprises two blocks A and B. The 9-storey block A provides 264 studios for 264 key workers. Block B is 6-storeys and provides 20 residential units, comprising 6 one-bedroom, 13 two-bedroom, and 1 duplex three-bedroom apartments.
David Forman
2026-01-02 11:33:27
The clients putting in the application are a joint venture between Cedarstone Capital Partners and Pinnacle AS Holdings. Both companies are relatively new, having been incorporated in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Cedarstone describes itself in its accounts covering the 15 months to 31 December 2024 as a property asset management business. Its principal activities are "advising investors on formulating and executing planning and development strategies in the UK real estate sector." It's two principal directors are Arabs from Bahrain along with one English director. Since it's formation in September 2023 it has been engaged on 5 residential and mixed use developments creating a turnover of £1.9million and operating profit of £1.1million. Pinnacle AS Holdings hasn't filled any accounts. I guess it was the Cedarstone Arabs who stumped up the £53,016 planning application fee. See Companies House listing at https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15162084/filing-history
TonyB
2026-01-04 00:46:09
It will be passed, it will get past planning, you only have to mention housing irrespective of who or what it's for. I am just surprised they didn't go for Conservative Harlow Council's maximum height limit of 16 stories, they could have made more money out of the flats. Just a thought, just around the corner there is always the Wych Elm towers for Key workers, Conservative Harlow Council has already given planning permission for another 15-story tower on the Riped Gym site.
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