25 Jun First applications received for the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town
East Herts Council has received an outline planning application from Places for People for a residential-led mixed use development of up to 8,500 homes on the Gilston Park Estate.
An outline planning application for the Briggens Estate is expected to be received later this year for a further 1,500 homes. Together these will make up the Gilston Area villages within the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.
East Herts District Council (EHC), Harlow District Council (HC), Epping Forest District Council, Hertfordshire County Council and Essex Country Council are working together to bring forward transformational growth in and around Harlow through the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town. The Garden Town comprises of existing communities within Harlow, together with new neighbourhoods to the east, west and south, and new villages to the north (the Gilston Area), all set in attractive countryside, with investment in transport, enterprise and community infrastructure.
The outline planning applications include the proposed vehicle accesses to the Gilston Area as well as the area for each of the new villages, broad locations for the village centres and the open spaces between the villages. They also set out their planning obligations for the delivery and financing of infrastructure and services.
In addition, Places for People has also submitted detailed planning applications for two river crossings that will provide access to the Gilston Area and the wider Harlow and Gilston Garden Town. These include improvements to the existing 5th Avenue River Crossing, to provide dedicated public transport connections and new routes across the Stort Valley for walking and cycling; and a new Eastern River Crossing which will provide new access for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists between East Herts and Harlow.
The outline application can be viewed and commented upon by visiting https://publicaccess.eastherts.gov.uk using the reference 3/19/1045/OUT and the River Crossings applicationscan be viewed and commented on using the references 3/19/1046/FUL and 3/19/1051/FUL. Alternatively, comments can also be made in writing and sent to East Herts Council at Wallfields, Pegs Lane, Hertford SG13 8EQ.
EHC and HC have agreed to act jointly to manage the bridge applications as these cross both districts. All comments should be directed to EHC and these will be shared with HC. Each council will be required to determine the applications in due course through their decision making processes.
All comments should be submitted to be received by 09 August 2019.
Copies of the applications are available to view at both EHC and HC’s offices and the councils will be running a series of public exhibitions in July on:
Monday 1st July at Hunsdon Village Hall, 45 High Street, Hunsdon SG12 8NJ, 4pm-8pm
Tuesday 2nd July at Eastwick & Gilston Village Hall, Eastwick Road, Gilston CM20 2RB, 4pm-8pm
Thursday 4th July at Harlow Civic Centre Council Chamber, The Water Gardens, Harlow CM20 1WG, 4pm-8pm
The exhibitions will be drop-in events and officers will be on hand to help explain the planning applications and how members of the public can have their say n them.
Following master planning with the community, more detailed planning applications will come forward on each of the villages.
Linda Haysey, East Herts Council leader said: “We have been working with the local community, developers and a range of stakeholders for a number of years on the Garden Town. There is so much potential for the Garden Town, not just the additional much needed homes, but with major investment in infrastructure, sustainable transport, employment areas, green spaces and more, we are creating communities for the future.
“We would encourage all those interested in this development to get involved by sharing their thoughts with us on the plans.”
Councillor Mark Ingall, Leader of Harlow Council, said: “This is an exciting time for Harlow and we look forward to the development of the Garden Town and the benefits this will bring to our town. These benefits include investment in infrastructure, transport, local services and the Town Centre which would not be available unless there was housing growth. There will also be a range of jobs on offer creating new opportunities for people in our town.
“The Garden Town is all part of our ambition to build a better Harlow for all – for residents, for business, for families, for the young and the old. Harlow’s regeneration is a pivotal part of the Garden Town project.
“The submission of these first planning applications is a significant milestone in the project and I encourage residents, business and local groups to find out more.”
