15 Aug #Harlow: Extra measures proposed to protect much loved Latton Common
Extra measures are being put in place by Harlow Council to protect a popular area of green open space in Harlow and its surrounding housing estates.
Work is set to start shortly on creating a one-metre high landscaped mound and a ditch along the northern border of Latton Common from the existing height barrier and gate to the A414 underpass. The improvements are to prevent:
- Nuisance motorbikes and quad bikes accessing the common.
- Vehicles accessing the common as part of unauthorised traveller encampments.
- Horses, which are tethered on the land, leaving the common and going into the road.
- Surface water flooding to local housing estates.
Approximately 1,600m3 of earth has been delivered to the site and temporarily piled up on one side of the common ahead of the work starting on 22 August 2016. The work will see a landscaped mound created, approximately 400m in length, with a ditch behind it. The level of the mound and ditch will be steep enough to stop vehicles accessing the land and horses leaving the common. It will be no higher than the existing mound which runs from the height barrier towards Clifton Hatch. The ditch will also improve water drainage. Once finished and to blend into the landscape, a mix of wildflowers and grass will grow on the mound to further encourage biodiversity on the common.
Councillor Danny Purton, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said: “Latton Common is a popular and much-loved public open space for dog owners, walkers, runners, and it is near to people’s homes. Unfortunately it has been a popular area too for nuisance bikes and unauthorised traveller encampments in the past so we are taking this action to protect it and enhance existing measures which are in place. These extra measures are also designed to stop horses leaving the land which has been a recent problem and concern for local residents. The work will also prevent housing estates from being flooding from rain water running off the common.
“Leading up to and during the work, there may be some disruption to residents and users but the final result will not affect local residents’ views of the common which we know are important. These works are all about improving and protecting this much-loved area of land so residents can continue to enjoy it.”
