Harlow & Gilston Garden Town

The Harlow & Gilston Garden Town Newsletter landed in resident and stakeholder email inboxes this week and we're now making it available online for all our LinkedIn followers. Published five times a year, the Newsletter has been on a hiatus for the majority of 2024 due to the pre-election communication restrictions around both the Local and General Elections. Highlights in this month's edition are: Creating Something New - A blog from James Gardner of Harlow Council on the town's Bus Station transforming to a new Sustainable Transport & Interchange Hub HGGT Unveils Employment Ambition - More on our targets of 1000 new jobs a year across the next two decades and the area becoming the fastest growing place in the UK. New HGGT Joint Committee - Cllr Dan Swords is the Garden Town's new Chair plus stewardship and transport news from our July meeting. HGGT in London - Video look back on our day at the Building Garden Communities Conference earlier this year with the HGGT Team's Naisha Polaine and Sam Terrell Click here to read our September 2024 Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/etYS36Tr And moving forward, if you want to subscribe then head over to hggt.co.uk and click the Newsletter tab at the top of the page. HGGT Partners: East Herts District Council - Epping Forest District Council - Essex County Council - Harlow Council - Hertfordshire County Council #transport #cycling #walking #bus #communities #employment #environment #jobs #councils #publicsector #greeninfrastructure #stewardship #travel

Delivering a great quality of life across Harlow & Gilston Garden Town means residents feeling confident that communities will be taken care of once built and a pioneering new Stewardship Charter, agreed at the recent HGGT Joint Committee, will do just that. Harlow & Gilston Garden Town’s Stewardship Charter was developed over the last 12 months and included a public consultation that gave residents of all ages an opportunity to input their feedback on long-term placemaking. Six principles make up the Garden Town’s Stewardship Charter: Collaborative Stewardship Delivery of Community Assets Community Development A Representative and Accountable Governance Structure Financial Sustainability, Resilience and Entrepreneurship Ambitious Environmental, Social and Socio-Economic Practice and Monitoring HGGT Lead for Placeshaping and Engagement, Kevin Steptoe, said: “Stewardship is a golden thread that links together delivery of housing, places, jobs, economy and transport and our six principles are deliberately generic and high level in order to be applied across the Garden Town geography. “Whether it is 10,000 houses across seven villages in Gilston or the smaller neighbourhoods proposed for Latton Priory, East of Harlow and Water Lane, it is important that the same principles apply, regardless of community size or developer, to ensure the delivery of high quality and consistent outcomes throughout the Garden Town project.” HGGT ran workshops with the Youth Councils of both #Harlow and #Epping Forest to give young people a chance to input into the Stewardship Charter. “One of the recommendations from our Quality of Life project in 2022 was more engagement with underrepresented groups, including the younger audience,” explained Kevin.  “We teamed up with 2-3 Degrees to find out what resonates with the younger generation and it was fantastic to see themes such as environment, volunteering and community come out of those workshop sessions and to hear young people talking so enthusiastically about their local area. “That feedback has played a part in shaping the Stewardship Charter along with all the inputs provided from community and professional representatives during the consultation.” HGGT Joint Committee Chair, Cllr Dan Swords, said: “Everyone knows of past circumstances where development has come forward and stewardship just hasn’t been thought out. “The Stewardship Charter is a crucial piece of work, it’s at the heart of the Garden Town’s vision and key to creating genuinely sustainable communities that are fantastic places to live in.” The final version of the Stewardship Charter will be on the HGGT website shortly but, in the meantime, you can view the draft version here: https://lnkd.in/eKberJws #stewardship #government #housing #placemaking #jobs #employment #economy #transport #travel #walking #cycling #greeninfrastructure #publicsector #councils #community #essex #herts #hertfordshire #eastherts

Alongside 23,000 new homes and 20,000 new jobs, Harlow & Gilston Garden Town is aiming to provide dynamic and exciting new ways for people to travel around the local area. One of the spotlight discussions at the recent HGGT Joint Committee was ‘Reimagining How We Can Travel Differently’ with Rob Goodall from Arup presenting the Garden Town’s ambitious objectives of introducing active travel and innovative bus options for residents over the next few years. With work having already started on a new public travel route, known as a Sustainable Transport Corridor, between the Town Centre and Burnt Mill roundabout, Arup’s report revealed that 23% of people in Harlow use cycling, walking and buses as their primary mode of travel. HGGT is looking to double that number across the town in the future, increasing to 60% for residents living in the new Garden Town communities. Speaking about the ‘Reimagining How We Can Travel Differently’ report, Garden Town Director Naisha Polaine said: “Across the local plans of our five council partners is a commitment to providing alternative ways that inspire people to travel sustainably, as and when they want. “These targets have been agreed by all partners in the award winning Garden Town Transport Strategy and are also part of our Garden Town status from Government. “The ‘Reimagining How We Can Travel Differently’ report gives us an initiating framework and the start of a pathway to providing sustainable solutions for people moving around #Harlow & Gilston Garden Town in the future. “It not only signals our intention of what we want to deliver for residents but enables us to have conversations with Government and developers in order to make sustainable travel a reality in the Garden Town.” HGGT Joint Committee Chair, Cllr Dan Swords, added: “This is something that is genuinely pioneering and the interventions referenced in the report are about providing alternatives for people to change their travel patterns as opposed to banning cars. “I’m not aware of too many places the size of Harlow that have had such ambitious targets over a short period of time. “But if the growth of Harlow & Gilston Garden Town, over the next decade, is the same size as Cambridge, Exeter, Guildford and Norwich then we’re going to have to do something drastically different on the concept of active travel.” To allow for any legislative changes from the new Government, the Joint Committee confirmed that there will be a further update on ‘Reimagining How We Can Travel Differently‘ in Spring 2025. New to Harlow & Gilston Garden Town? Find out more about one of the biggest regeneration and development projects in the UK via hggt.co.uk #travel #cycling #walking #activetravel #buses #sustainabletravel #environment #development #regeneration #qualityoflife #government #publicsector #transport

A key piece of infrastructure in Harlow has been successfully completed by Garden Town partners Essex County Council with the official opening of the new Cambridge Road junction at River Way and Templefields Industrial Estate last week. The project provides new access to the Templefields Enterprise Zone, helping reduce the level of congestion travelling on Edinburgh Way, and providing a link to the future new communities. It will also help support business and economic growth, creating more certainty with journey times and helping haulage vehicles reach the strategic network quicker and more efficiently. Funded as part of the £171m investment by Homes England through the Housing Investment Grant, with a contribution from Harlow Council's Towns Deal award, the project was also supported by Hertfordshire County Council and Harlow & Gilston Garden Town. This project marks the beginning of an exciting time for the town, with investment being made, huge growth opportunities and, through the Local Transport Plan and HGGT’s award winning Transport Strategy, a joined up and collaborative approach to transport infrastructure delivery. “There’s always a concern from residents that infrastructure can be an afterthought but we’re doing this the right way with the Harlow & Gilston Garden Town project and ensuring these kind of projects are being delivered before the new housing” explained Hertfordshire County Council’s Philip Bradbury who is overseeing the management of the £171m Housing Infrastructure Grant for the Garden Town. Harlow Council’s Cllr Alastair Gunn, Portfolio Holder for the Garden Town and Planning said: “Having provided £1.5m towards the new Cambridge Road junction works through the £23.7m Towns Fund that Harlow Council secured, it is very welcome that the road is now open. “One of Harlow Council’s missions is to secure investment for the town’s future and this upgrade to our infrastructure is a good example of that in action. “Indeed, the new junction is already supporting Harlow businesses on River Way. “It is providing improved access and making the Templefields employment area even more attractive for major private investment, as we’ve seen with the recent arrival of LT Foods - a global rice manufacturer who have invested £7m in their new state of the art facility and aim to provide up to 100 new jobs." Essex County Council’s Deputy to the Leader, Cllr Lesley Wagland, said: “Connectivity is absolutely crucial and most of the people I speak with have moved on from being categorised as ‘not in my back yard’ and just want to see the appropriate infrastructure. “Road schemes always take along while and it’s a huge thank you to everyone who not only lobbied and delivered this project but also had to bear with it.” New to HGGT? Find out more here: www.hggt.co.uk

The Discover Harlow engagement hub reopens this Thursday, August 8, in a brand new location! Officially opened in November 2023, Discover Harlow is staying in the Harvey Centre and on the ground floor, taking the former Royal Shakes/Hays Travel unit that sits at the end of the centre’s mall, just off Harvey Centre Approach. Funded by Government and the Garden Town partnership, Discover Harlow gives residents an opportunity to learn more about specific projects such as the new Town Centre Arts and Cultural Quarter, the Sustainable Transport Interchange that will upgrade the town’s current bus station and the proposed Garden Town communities. The drop in community space was called for by residents through the Garden Town’s Your Quality of Life consultation project in 2022. Discover Harlow signage is going up across the top of the unit this week and the engagement hub will be open every Thursday, 10am - 2pm. New to the Harlow & Gilston Garden Town project? Click the link below to find out more about one of the UK's most exciting regeneration and development projects. www.hggt.co.uk HGGT Partners: East Herts District Council - Epping Forest District Council - Essex County Council - Harlow Council - Hertfordshire County Council #housing #newhousing #government #transport #travel #environment #sustainability #activetravel #cycling #walking #buses #regeneration #development #realestate #construction

Developers for the Garden Town’s Gilston villages, Places for People and Taylor Wimpey plc, have revealed that over 50% of the site will be dedicated to open, public and natural green space. 10,000 homes across seven villages in Gilston were given an agreement for approval last year by East Herts District Council and both Places for People (Villages 1-6) and Taylor Wimpey (Village 7) are collaborating on a strategic landscape masterplan that meets the Garden City Principles of development that enhances the natural environment and provides a comprehensive green infrastructure network with net biodiversity gains. Landscape delivery will include: •       5 major new parks •       New hedgerow connections •       Species rich grassland •       New woodland pasture •       Plantation of broadleaved woodland •       New allotments and community orchards •       Contribution to Stort Valley Improvements •       10% minimum biodiversity net gain across the site as a whole Samantha Steele, Managing Director of Placemaking and Regeneration at Places for People, said: “Over half of the Gilston area will be made up of public, open and natural green space, making this masterplan fundamental as we also look to deliver the village masterplans for the development parcels within the new community.” Senior Planning Manager at Taylor Wimpey, Jonathan Locke, added: “The landscape areas around Village 7 will be delivered early in the Gilston Area, alongside those around Village 1, and so will play an important role in ensuring the emerging Gilston development is set in an attractive and functional landscape which brings communities together, whilst providing enhancements for wildlife.” Both developers will be showcasing the emerging masterplans for Gilston's strategic landscape at two events on Saturday 20 July, details below. •       Harvey Centre - 09.30am – 1.00pm (Harvey Centre Approach, Harlow CM20 1XR) •       Hunsdon Village Hall – 2.00pm – 6.00pm (SG12 8NJ) New to Harlow & Gilston Garden Town? Visit www.hggt.co.uk for more info on one of the UK's most exciting regeneration and development projects. #greeninfrastructure #environment #kingspeech #government #westminster #transport #cycling #walking #masterplan #landscape

Harlow & Gilston Garden Town have unveiled a target of 1000 new jobs a year across the next two decades and the area becoming the fastest growing place in the UK. The announcement follows last week’s speech from new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, on economic growth and housebuilding. The Garden Town’s employment ambition comes on the back of a £1.3 billion infrastructure investment already identified by Harlow & Gilston’s five council partnership, with nearly £800m coming from developers, and the delivery of a go-to-destination for housing, employment, retail and leisure in the future. Speaking about Harlow & Gilston Garden Town’s role in contributing to the economy, project Director, Naisha Polaine, said: “The government has made it clear that economic growth will be a national mission and our five council partners have been working towards this for several years now. “Our aim remains the same, to deliver 23,000 new homes over four new neighbourhoods in Harlow & Gilston alongside Town Centre regeneration. “With that will come a significant population growth over the next 20 years but a once in a lifetime opportunity for large scale employment across multiple industries such as health, manufacturing and technology.”  Find out more about the Garden Town's job targets for the local area by clicking the link below for the full article plus HGGT's Strategic Economic Framework and Infrastructure Delivery Plan documents. LINK: https://lnkd.in/edf9mr6q HGGT Partners: East Herts District Council - Epping Forest District Council - Essex County Council - Harlow Council - Hertfordshire County Council #harlow #essex #eastherts #hertfordshire #epping #employment #innovation #housing #newhousing #realestate #construction #travel #transport #walking #cycling #lifesciences #health #manufacturing #government #infrastructure #investment #economy Video: You See Media

Leader of Harlow Council, Cllr Dan Swords, has been elected the inaugural Chairman of Harlow & Gilston Garden Town’s new Joint Committee. Cllr Swords, the youngest Council leader in the country, is joined by Hertfordshire County Council’s Stephen Boulton who was elected Vice Chair. The Joint Committee replaces the Garden Town’s previous governance structure which saw Guy Nicholson hold the role of Independent Chair from 2019. “It is a significant moment in the future of not just Harlow but the areas that surround Harlow,” commented Cllr Swords on the formation of the Joint Committee. “We have an enormous job to genuinely change the future for tens of thousands of people who live in this place and will come to live in this place over the next ten years.” Speaking about the new Joint Committee, HGGT’s Director, Naisha Polaine said: “What residents are seeing is the natural evolution of the Garden Town as we move from planning to a delivery phase which we expect to see £1.3 billion of infrastructure funding come forward. “We’ve got spades in the ground now on travel infrastructure works in Harlow and with that comes a new accountable decision making body that brings together elected Councillors from all five of our Garden Town Council partners.” Joining Cllrs Swords and Boulton on the Garden Town Joint Committee are: Cllr Ben Crystall – East Hertfordshire District Council Cllr Nigel Bedford – Epping Forest District Council Cllr Lesley Wagland – Essex County Council Paying tribute to Guy Nicholson’s contribution to HGGT, Naisha commented: “Guy has been a  fantastic support for the Garden Town and an excellent Chair. “He has played a huge part in making Harlow & Gilston one of the most exciting regeneration and growth projects in the country.” The Garden Town’s next Joint Committee meeting will be on Monday 22 July at Harlow Council’s Civic Offices and open to the public, both in person and online. Talking further about the Joint Committee’s objectives, Naisha commented: “We’re here to deliver the ambitious good growth proposals for Harlow & Gilston across the four proposed Garden Town neighbourhoods, supporting 23,000 new homes and the community infrastructure that includes schools, healthcare, workspaces and town centre regeneration.” Find out more about the Garden Town via www.hggt.co.uk #regeneration #travel #transport #cycling #walking #buses #newhomes #realestate #construction #health #employment #education #government #publicsector #council

The footbridge at Terminus House was successfully demolished last week as work continues to rebuild Harlow bus station. Part of the wider Harlow & Gilston Garden Town project, the regeneration scheme will see the existing bus station replaced with a welcoming Transport Hub for Harlow’s residents, visitors and employees. Funded by £23.7m from Government in 2021, the new facility will be a central point for Harlow & Gilston Garden Town’s network of public travel routes, the first of which is currently under construction between the town centre and Burnt Mill roundabout. Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, said: “The demolition of the Terminus House footbridge is a huge milestone met for the rebuild of the bus station and Terminus Street and signals a brand-new start for this part of Harlow Town Centre. "This is yet more proof that Harlow Council is delivering on its mission to rebuild our town. “The area will be transformed into a state-of-the-art Sustainable Transport Hub and Interchange to help put the heart back into Harlow’s town centre, along with improvements in Broad Walk and our plans for Market Square.” #regeneration #environment #walking #cycling #transport #travel #buses #sustainable #activetravel #housing #newhousing

At UKREiiF, Harlow Council and Harlow & Gilston Garden Town launched the 'Discover Harlow', promotional video that showcases all that Harlow has to offer. Harlow has so many attractive features that make it a great place to invest: 🛤 It is in a great strategic location between London and Cambridge. 💹 It has a vibrant and growing economy. 🏘 It has seen lots of sustainable development, with plenty more planned. 🏨 It has fantastic, modern infrastructure. 📲 It benefits from seamless connectivity. 🏡 It offers a great quality of living. This video proudly sets that out, and much more, so please watch and share it, far and wide. Naisha Polaine | Dan Swords | Yvonne Rees | Jackie Sadek | Guy Nicholson | Peter Manning OBE | Arise Innovation Hubs | Harlow Innovation Park | Invest ESSEX | The UK Innovation Corridor Thames Estuary | Innovation Core (part of the UK Innovation Corridor) | You See Media | Lawrence Barraclough | ECF