OVER a hundred objections have been submitted to Harlow Council in relation to a planning application in Old Harlow.

The plans request a conversion of a house in Gilden Park into a residential care home.

The application refers to a home in Woodlark Road.

It states:

Change of use from use C3 (Dwellinghouse) to use class C2 (Residential Care Home) to provide Supported Living for Adults with Mild Vulnerabilities (ages 18 to 65 years old) with no changes to the structure of the property (internal and exterior) nor any conversion of any part of building, garden, garage, and driveway.

There have been a number of objections to the application.

Here is one example.

To the Planning Department,
I write further to my previous correspondence regarding the earlier application, which was
subsequently withdrawn. I note that a revised application has now been submitted, and I wish to
formally object to this proposal in the strongest terms.
I am a local resident of 15 Grebe Close, CM17 0GN, and my objection is based on the following
material planning considerations:

1. Impact on Parking and Highway Safety
   Woodlark Road and the surrounding streets already experience significant parking pressure. The
   proposed change of use from a C3 dwelling to a C4 HMO could introduce up to six unrelated adults,
   each potentially owning a vehicle. This would result in a level of car usage far exceeding that of a
   typical family home and would likely lead to:
   Increased competition for limited on-street parking spaces
   Obstruction of access for emergency and refuse vehicles
   Increased vehicle movements, raising highway safety concerns
2. Harm to Residential Amenity and Character
   The proposal represents an over-intensification of the site. The cumulative effects of multiple
   independent occupants—such as increased comings and goings, higher noise levels, more frequent
   visitors, and additional waste generation—would be detrimental to the quiet, family-oriented
   character of Woodlark Road.
3. Loss of Family Housing Stock
   There is a well-established demand for C3 family housing within Harlow. The loss of a family
   dwelling to an HMO use undermines the availability of suitable homes for families and disrupts the
   balanced housing mix that is essential for a sustainable and cohesive community.
4. Pressure on Local Infrastructure
   The local infrastructure, including drainage, sewage, and utilities, was designed to accommodate
   single-family occupancy. Intensified use of the property is likely to place additional strain on these
   services, to the detriment of existing residents.
   Policy-Based Objections
5. Conflict with Policy H4 (Loss of Housing)
   Under Harlow Local Plan Policy H4, the Council seeks to protect the existing stock of habitable
   housing. The proposed loss of a family home in an area where such properties are in high demand
   runs contrary to this objective and erodes the long-term housing balance of the neighbourhood.
6. Conflict with Policy PL2 (Amenity Principles)
   The proposal fails to comply with Harlow Local Plan Policy PL2, which requires that development
   does not adversely impact neighbouring living conditions. Likely impacts include:
   Increased noise and disturbance from multiple occupants
   Visual harm from excessive waste storage and associated paraphernalia
7. Non-Compliance with the Article 4 Direction
   The Harlow Article 4 Direction was introduced to prevent the harmful cumulative effects of HMO
   proliferation. This application conflicts with the clear intention of that direction, which is to protect
   residential areas such as Woodlark Road from over-concentration of HMOs.
   
8. Conclusion
   For the reasons outlined above, I consider this proposal to be harmful to the local area and contrary to the objectives of the Harlow Local Development Plan. I respectfully urge the Council to refuse this application.
   

More objections can be found on the Harlow Council planning page.

Look for: HW/FUL/26/00108