Residents living near the play area between Bushey Croft and Rushes Mead were recently invited by Harlow Council to attend an exhibition nearby about plans to build 16 new homes on the site . It soon became clear that residents living near the site were almost entirely against the building on land which had been used for recreational purposes for over 50 years.
Following the exhibition, a formal Planning Application was made by the Council. Despite the comments made by residents, the plans were almost identical to the original proposals. Residents living near the Bushey Croft plan have submitted two petitions, signed by about 170 people, objecting to the granting of Planning Permission. These petitions together with other comments from members of the public were initially uploaded on to Harlow Council’s website but within a few days were removed. As a result, both residents and the Councillors who will determine the outcome of the Planning Application have no idea who has objected.
The Planning Application is to be determined by Harlow Council at 7:30 pm on Thursday 22 August. (see report here). The report dismisses the objections and it is being recommended that Planning Permission be granted.
The Harlow Alliance Party believes that Harlow Council does not need to and should not build on play areas around the town and this area sets a precedence for the future. We will continue our objections to the building on such sites and plan to hold a demonstration on the 22 August at the Civic Offices. Come and join us!