Harlow Council announce new daily cleaning and maintenance programme and 24/7 security for transformed Broad Walk
General / Mon 12th Jan 2026 at 08:03am
A NEW maintenance, cleaning, and security programme has been introduced for Broad Walk following its recent multi-million-pound transformation, ensuring the area remains clean, safe and welcoming seven days a week.
The programme will be managed by the same team responsible for the Harvey Centre, which the council purchased in 2022. Harlow Council says this move protects the recent investment in new paving, landscaping, and street furniture.
The new maintenance includes:
- Comprehensive street cleaning with new equipment, dedicated operatives, and regular emptying of litter bins.
- Year-round landscape maintenance to keep new planters looking their best while supporting sustainable drainage and biodiversity.
- Increased and improved CCTV coverage across Broad Walk and East Walk.
- Dedicated security patrols, expanding provision already in place at the Harvey Centre.
The council plans to roll out similar high quality maintenance standards to other regenerated areas of the town centre.
Snagging of Broad Walk works has been reviewed and where some paving slabs are uneven or broken, they will be replaced as part of follow up works in the next few weeks.
Announcing the new maintenance regime for Broad Walk, Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said:
“The transformation of Broad Walk marks a defining moment for our town centre – but transformation only truly succeeds if it is properly looked after. In the past, when the council had invested into things across the town, they quickly fell into disrepair because the ongoing maintenance was not in place.
“As we rebuild the town centre, we are changing that. Our new programme ensures the investment we have made in Broad Walk is protected, that standards upheld every single day, and that pride is not just restored, but secured for the long term. We want residents to feel proud of this space, businesses to thrive, and visitors to enjoy a vibrant, safe and welcoming destination seven days a week.
“The success of the Christmas Market has already shown what is possible when a place is cared for and managed well. We are determined to take the right decisions to protect what we have built as we continue the work of rebuilding our town. This is Building Harlow’s Future in action – learning from the past and delivering lasting change.”
The Broad Walk transformation works delivered:
- Comprehensive repaving of Broad Walk, East Walk, and Harvey Centre Approach.
- Green landscaping with sustainable drainage systems.
- New and upgraded street furniture, including seating, lighting, bins, and CCTV.
- Enhancements around the Obelisk, Trigon, and Vertex sculptures.
- Creation of a central pop-up and event space for community activities.
The council says the new event space will host regular markets and seasonal events, boosting footfall and supporting local businesses. The £5 million regeneration project was funded through Harlow’s £23.7m Towns Fund programme, part of the council’s wider plan to revitalise the town centre.
Linda
2026-01-12 09:11:02
Where is the seating?
Linda
2026-01-12 09:12:29
Where is the seating in broad walk?
Chris
2026-01-12 09:44:30
Stopping kids using the woodchip in the new plant beds as a play area might help .
David Forman
2026-01-12 11:22:39
I do hope the remedial work for the paving is at the expense of the world's slowest paving contractors?
Ted
2026-01-12 13:12:10
Linda the seating has started being installed down by the old Lloyd's bank area.
Ted
2026-01-12 13:14:14
Harlow council need to reintroduce inforcement officers to stop the people who throw cigarette butt's on the floor and spit chewing gum out!!
Ben
2026-01-12 13:41:43
Ted enforcement officers are for profit hired goons. They are also reactive and not preventative.
Nigel
2026-01-12 15:46:22
Now just need some decent shops to entice people to want to visit that part of the town.
Phillip Hall
2026-01-12 17:32:18
You can't polish a turd. And sadly that's what the town has become over the years with the lack of shops! Unless you want nail bars, Turkish barbers, ethical food shops, mobile phone repair ships, gyms and jewellers.
Bob
2026-01-12 19:04:07
Well said Philip.
Pookie
2026-01-12 19:57:03
Phil Hall. Racist.
Kier construction
2026-01-12 20:12:19
Why is it racist? Its the truth. This town went down hill 20 years ago and no amount of new paving or cleaning can make it better, need better tenants rather than shops. Spot the tax payer is a hard game in the town centre
David
2026-01-12 20:50:02
What we need to remember the council can't do this all on their own people that live in Harlow need to play their part two in keeping the town clean and tidy you see it all the time people dropping litter throwing cigarette ends on the floor and we really need to do something about people that are sitting around drinking alcohol
Nick Gunning
2026-01-12 20:51:52
All that massive disruption to president a few eccentric- shaped flower beds? We need a market that's attractive across the county. Perhaps some deal giving extra low rents for a period while stalls get established? They can't help the poor architecture but there must be someone who can adapt what's there to engage the imagination. Then there's the seating. People need to be able to sit down to get a rest, discuss their planned shopping etc. There seems to be an idea of keeping the crowds constantly on the move without a rest, except in the bus station for the interminable waiting among pigeons, wind and rain. But there's now only one public lavatory for those who have troubles in that area, and much of the relaxation space seems regimented, like a draughtsman's idea of human space rather than an artists. The shabby seating in the Harvey center simply places your heads at adult hip or full- on screaming child level in a building that's a purpose built echo chamber. Like a victorian public baths but without water to cushion the noise. Needs a wholesale rethink!
Richard Noggin
2026-01-12 22:47:03
"ethical food shops" 😂
Hans
2026-01-12 22:48:30
Whats wrong with gyms Phil, you fat bastard haha
Warren Elliott
2026-01-13 06:44:06
We have said all along,the new paving took too long to lay,and when it did go down it started to look a mess within no time and grubby and dirty it needed a mobil stream cleaner going round every day,putting afew slabs down is hardly rejuvenating the town centre we need good shops back m,s when that left that was the fall of harlow good shops buggers sitting on the payments with animals is not an invitation that looks good,the council need to wake up with our millions that's being spent other wise it's gonna be all for nothing.
Gary Abbots
2026-01-13 07:46:42
A few months back you were all singing Dan Swords praises for getting us a new patio, now everyone is on a rant again. The political scythe swing is remorseless.
Stuart G
2026-01-13 09:43:10
The repaving is the first of many steps to regenerating the town centre. It looks far better than it did already. If the rest of the redevelopments that have been announced come to fruition then we'll have a town centre to be proud of again - and that's what will entice the shops we all want. No-one's going to set up a new concern when the place looks a dump, but you'll be surprised how quickly places will get tenanted if the surrounding area looks good.
amanda lillis
2026-01-13 21:47:39
Lots of money for the paving slabs used and to me looks like it doesn't match each other And lots of empty shops Plus no seating Plus at the end what will be there once developed (end where natwest and gun shop and clock house were)
Nicholas Taylor
2026-01-13 22:32:56
Just to remind readers that this work is costing just shy of £7 million and involves the chopping up the surface of Market Square which was laid only a handful of years ago at a cost of £250,000. There are still tens of millions of pounds in the kitty, mostly from the Government, one must ask how wisely this will be spent. The present administration see the Town Centre full of high rise flat blocks. An alternative would be to create new shop fronts for the existing buildings and clad them in modern materials as they have done recently at Brookfield.
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