House building on play and open spaces … update

The report on Harlow Council’s Local Plan which sets out proposals for future house building in the town during the next 13 years was agreed at it’s Cabinet meeting on 13 September.

The report, which with additional documents, ran to hundreds of pages, sets out where homes will be built in Harlow. Whilst HAP acknowledges that new homes need to be built, it objects to these being built on play areas and open spaces between estates. The report failed to mention that 383 residents had signed petitions demanding that 8 sites be removed from the plan The report just mentioned 3 sites, namely Fennells, Jocelyns and South of Clifton Hatch. The error was partially corrected verbally on the night. Most of the comments made by residents who responded to the consultation had objections to some elements of the Plan

In any event, despite the objections recieved and the concerns raised at the meeting about the lack of consultation carried out by the Council and the need for building at Jocelyns, the plan was agreed.

The Local Plan will be sent to the governments Inspector later this year where HAP will continue it’s objections to building homes at;

Jocelyns, St Andrews Meadow, Fennells, Deer Park, Pollard Hatch, South of Clifton Hatch and Hawthorns.