11.1 It is important that the necessary hard and soft infrastructure is in place to support development in the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town. Hard infrastructure includes physical items that will help deliver development such as new roads, railways, pipes and pylons and social infrastructure which supports new communities such as schools, healthcare centres, police and emergency services. Soft infrastructure includes environmental management, training programmes and business support services. An Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) has been prepared which identifies the infrastructure required to support the development set out in the Local Plan including, where it is required, when it will be provided, phasing arrangements and how it will be funded.
11.2 Connecting and linking development sites to community services and facilities in Harlow is important to securing sustainable development in the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town. An improved transport and Green Infrastructure network is therefore vital and as part of this several gateway locations have been identified for enhancement with the intention of enhancing key destinations and the legibility of important routes.
11.3 Essex County Council is the waste and minerals authority for the County of Essex and has prepared development plan documents for minerals supply and waste management. These documents sit alongside the Local Plan and have been taken into consideration and included in this chapter.
11.4 This chapter and the policies contained within it will help deliver all of the Council’s Corporate Priorities, as follows:
11.5 This chapter and the policies contained within it will help deliver the following Local Plan Strategic Objectives:
SIR1 Infrastructure Requirements
The Council will work with infrastructure and service providers, other statutory bodies and neighbouring local authorities to deliver the timely provision of infrastructure necessary to support development in the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.
An Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) has been prepared for the Harlow area which identifies and prioritises infrastructure projects required in the Local Plan period and sets out funding mechanisms and lead agencies responsible for their delivery.
The IDP will be regularly reviewed and updated where necessary.
Along with the Local Plan, the IDP will be used to bid for funding for infrastructure items needed to deliver development.
Individual development proposals will be required to secure related infrastructure both on- and off-site necessary to make the development acceptable in accordance with Development Management Policy IN6.
The Policies Map identifies infrastructure items which require safeguarding or have a land use implication. This includes:
| Ref. | Infrastructure Item |
|---|---|
| SIR1-1 | North-South Sustainable Transport Corridor and River Stort Crossing to Eastwick Roundabout |
| SIR1-2 | East West Sustainable Transport Corridor |
| SIR1-3 | Second River Stort Crossing at River Way |
| SIR1-4 | Access route for Strategic Housing Site East of Harlow |
| SIR1-5 | Cemetery extension |
| SIR1-6 | New allotment provision |
11.6 The right infrastructure delivered and phased at the right time is fundamental in delivering sustainable development in the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.
The Council has been working in partnership with adjoining local authorities, statutory bodies and infrastructure providers to identify the infrastructure items required to deliver the growth coming forward across the Harlow area in the Local Plan period and wherever possible beyond that period. The fundamental items of infrastructure required to deliver growth are set out below.
Transport
11.7 The Local Plan’s overall approach is to reduce the need to travel, and support the use of sustainable modes of travel including walking, cycling and public transport with less reliance on the use of the private motor vehicle.
11.8 Harlow’s unique character created from key masterplanning principles has resulted in a strong relationship between the urban form and the Green Wedge and Green Fingers network, through which transport corridors pass. The Green Wedges and Green Fingers provide a series of connectable open spaces which link major facilities and services, offering a pleasant and attractive footpath, cycleway and bridleway system. As a consequence of the design and layout of Harlow, the highway network is compact but flexible to change and improvement.
11.9 In order to deliver long-term sustainable growth in the district, further enhancements to the transport network will be required. These enhancements have been identified in the medium to long-term and in some cases beyond the Local Plan period where finance and delivery is difficult to predict. Current projects are not listed. Some of the proposals will be delivered by developers as part of their development, whereas some other schemes will be financed and delivered by a number of sources as set out in the IDP. They currently include:
11.10 Access improvements to, from and within the town centre will be identified through the Harlow Town Centre Area Action Plan.
11.11 A northern by-pass which would connect the Gilston area with Junction 7a of the M11 has been identified as a potential long-term highway solution to alleviate congestion along Gilden Way. However the overall priority is to ensure the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town becomes a sustainable town providing accessible housing and employment areas, community services and other facilities supported by a durable sustainable transport network, thereby reducing car usage and the need for highway focussed interventions.
Education
11.12 Essex County Council, as local education authority, is responsible for ensuring there are sufficient school places available by building or extending schools.
Harlow Council has been working closely with Essex County Council to identify the most sustainable solutions for future education provision. The council will also work with other education providers including independent schools and academy trusts. Land given over for schools must meet the criteria set out in Essex County Council’s Developer’s Guide to Infrastructure Contributions.
11.13 In Harlow there is an overall need to provide additional secondary school places.
A new secondary school will be provided in the new Garden Town Community to the east of Harlow, and a new 8FE secondary school is being opened in Harlow (the new ‘Sir Fredrick Gibberd Academy’). While this contributes some capacity to meet housing growth, this is being established to serve existing population (cohort) growth. There is also additional capacity in some of the existing secondary schools in Harlow. The provision of new schools in the new Garden Town Community to the east of Harlow will have a land use implication; however their location is still to be determined by an agreed Strategic Master Plan.
11.14 There is an overall need to provide additional primary school places in Harlow as set out in the IDP, of which some provision is already committed. The remaining provision will be delivered through expansion plans and through the provision of new primary schools located within new residential developments to the east.
The Garden Town communities identified as part of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town will deliver new schools as part of their proposals.
11.15 Across the district there will be a requirement for early years and childcare provision, with a particular deficit to the east due to the number of new homes being delivered in this area. Education facilities will be provided through the Strategic Housing Site East of Harlow which will include an element of early year and childcare facilities.
Healthcare
11.16 Harlow pioneered the development of health centres and multi-professional medical centres which combined several health related services into one location.
11.17 The Council and Harlow Health Centres Trust are working together to expand health facilities for existing population growth and will work with the Clinical Commissioning Groups (West and East Essex and North Hertfordshire) and NHS England to deliver new health facilities as part of planned growth. New healthcare facilities will be delivered where necessary, as part of new settlements ideally located in accessible locations, situated in a local centre with a range of other community facilities. Increasing capacity within current infrastructure will also be explored.
11.18 The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust has approved a preferred way forward for the provision of a new hospital. This option comprises the development of a new state of the art local acute hospital at land within the Epping Forest portion of the East of Harlow Garden Community.
11.19 In the event that the Hospital is relocated, land at Princess Alexandra Hospital may be redeveloped for housing with a capacity of up to 550 homes (see Policy HS2).
In the event that the Hospital is not relocated and remains in situ, the redevelopment of the site for healthcare purposes will be supported and taken forward in accordance with the agreed master plan to be prepared by the Hospital Trust. Under the latter option, surplus land may be identified which could accommodate approximately 100 new homes.
11.20 The purpose of the master plan would be to provide certainty for the Hospital Trust, to allow for the phased delivery of its strategic long-term objectives for healthcare provision and investment.
11.21 New and improved healthcare facilities play an important role in sustaining the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town and the Council will work with the hospital and all relevant parties to help deliver this.
Community Facilities
11.22 Community facilities cover a variety of buildings and services which underpin successful and vibrant communities and help develop social activities. It also includes future provision of burial space.
11.23 The provision of community buildings including youth centres, community halls, sports and leisure provision and libraries have been identified in the IDP and the Built Facilities and Playing Pitch Strategies. The Council will work with developers and statutory providers to deliver community uses across the district including provision on the Strategic Housing Site East of Harlow and through the masterplanning of the other Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Communities.
11.24 There are currently 35 named allotments and additional provision is proposed for development sites at Gilden Way, Newhall and the Strategic Housing Site East of Harlow.
11.25 Proposals are in place to extend the existing crematorium and cemetery to the south of the district. The extension is allocated on the Policies Map. This also includes a green passageway for the movement of fauna between the two Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) which abut the crematorium.
Utilities
11.26 The Council will work with the relevant statutory providers to ensure that development sites are well served by utility provision including electricity, gas, wastewater, potable drinking water, sustainable drainage, broadband and telecommunications.
11.27 The Council will seek the best use of existing infrastructure as well as providing the best possible opportunity to provide additional infrastructure capacity. The Council also supports the use of smart energy solutions to support low carbon developments. Developments should consider the incorporation of energy storage, demand side response, smart metering and smart heating controls to optimise the efficient use of heating and power systems.
11.28 The Council recognises that decarbonisation may lead to increased uptake of heat pumps, electric heating, electric vehicles and renewable energy.
Developments should seek to ensure that electrical infrastructure is designed to accommodate a future increase in electricity demand and renewable energy generation through appropriately sized substations and consideration of three phase supply to domestic properties.
11.29 Electricity Services in Harlow are provided through the UK Power Networks Eastern (UKPN) distribution area and is supplied from the Harlow West Grid substation.
The UKPN Regional Development Plan included a growth assumption of 16,000 dwellings in and around Harlow, the equivalent of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town, to 2033. Projects have been identified for the electricity infrastructure needed to meet this growth and it is expected that this will be funded through the utility firm and developers.
11.30 There are no known existing gas deficiencies in Harlow. The Council will continue to work with the suppliers to ensure the network can accommodate growth and any infrastructure will be covered by the utility provider.
11.31 There is already significant telecommunications and broadband infrastructure in Harlow and the district is in excess of the Government’s 95% coverage target.
The Development Management policies encourage broadband coverage to be extended into new developments and that telecommunications equipment is provided in Harlow.
11.32 The Council will work with the Environment Agency and the Flood Risk Management Authority to implement flood alleviation schemes as set out in the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and Surface Water Management Plan for Harlow. The Development Management policies ensure that water quality, water management, flooding and sustainable drainage is fully considered as part of new development proposals.
11.33 Harlow falls into the Upper Lee catchment area and potable drinking water supply in the district is provided by Affinity Water. The utility firm has a statutory duty to publish Water Resource Management Plans (WRMP) every five years setting out how they will maintain a balance between demand and supply over a 25-year period. Across Affinity Water’s Central Region area, which Harlow is located within, the WRMP sets out water related infrastructure projects which will ensure there is not a water deficit. This infrastructure will be funded through a combination of direct funding from the utility company and through developers.
11.34 Thames Water is responsible for waste water in Harlow and the surrounding area and they are tasked in preparing Asset Management Plans every five years.
These Management Plans have been informed by discussions to ensure infrastructure is in place to accommodate growth. Harlow is served by the Rye Meads Sewage Treatment Works which is currently being upgraded to increase capacity.
11.35 Thames Water position statements indicate capacity in the Treatment Works up to 2036, subject to further improvements to sludge and storm streams.
Further network modelling is being undertaken by Thames Water to understand sewer capacity in the area before outlining further intervention solutions.
This modelling work will inform a Watercycle Study being prepared by the Council. It is anticipated that solutions to improving the network will be jointly funded by the utility providers and developers.
11.36 When there is a capacity constraint and improvements in off-site infrastructure are not programmed, planning permission will only be granted where the appropriate infrastructure improvements to the satisfaction of the relevant water and sewerage undertaker will be completed prior to occupation of the development.
11.37 This chapter is supported by a detailed IDP which sets out the infrastructure items required to support the Local Plan, and who is responsible for delivery, how the items are to be funded and when the infrastructure will be delivered. It provides detailed information on delivery and funding for the infrastructure required in the first five years of the Local Plan Period and infrastructure which is critical to delivering the Local Plan. It also provides as much detail as possible for medium and long-term projects.
11.38 The Council will need to work closely with a number of partners and organisations to bring forward both strategic and local infrastructure schemes in the district and the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town. This includes Essex County Council and Hertfordshire County Council who are responsible for the local highway networks, education provision, particular health and social care needs and other community facilities such as libraries. The Council will also liaise with other statutory bodies and site developers to bring forward other supporting infrastructure and ensure the delivery of development sites.
11.39 Infrastructure items will be funded by a number of sources. This can include, for example, the District Council, County Councils, infrastructure/utility providers, developers or through grants and funding bids. Specific infrastructure items that are required to deliver growth locations and development sites will mostly be funded by Section 106 Agreements between the Council, County Council and the developer.
11.40 The Council will prepare a Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which will provide guidance to statutory agencies, community organisations, developers and stakeholders involved in the development process and will be updated regularly.
11.41 If evidence in the IDP, as updated, indicates that the prospects for the realistic delivery of infrastructure have changed and are unlikely to support planned development, the Local Plan will be reviewed.
Household Waste Facilities
11.42 The Council will work together with Essex County Council to consider and deliver greater capacity, where appropriate, for the local management of household waste which serves Harlow. Collaboration will be required with Hertfordshire County Council in respect of waste needs for the wider Garden Town area. Any facilities should be of a sufficient size and capacity that meets the needs of this growth and situated within an easily accessible location within the catchment areas of the new Garden Town communities.
SIR2 Enhancing Key Gateway Locations
The gateway locations above will be seamlessly integrated within the wider transport and Green Infrastructure network of Harlow and enhanced and improved through the use of:
11.43 The gateway locations set out above have been identified as important entrance points for commuters and visitors to Harlow and linkages that connect the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town communities with the Harlow urban area.
Their enhancement, improvement, legibility and integration are therefore important to the overall design and layout of the town and in implementing the design principles of Sir Frederick Gibberd’s original master plan throughout the Garden Town. Their improvement will also enhance key destinations including the town centre and employment areas, act as attractors for businesses looking to locate to the district and make public transport routes, cycle and pedestrian pathways more attractive to users. Further gateway locations may be identified as development proposals are brought forward in the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town. The exact location for the key gateways have not been shown on the Policies Map as improvement projects are yet to be defined and proposals will develop through the masterplanning of development sites and regeneration schemes.
11.44 Improvements and enhancements will be sought through the design and masterplanning stages of schemes and developments and through discussions with adjoining Councils, developers and via the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Quality Review Panel and the Vision and Design Guide.
SIR3 Waste and Minerals
| The Council will work with Essex County Council to bring forward the Waste and Minerals Development Plan Documents. These documents form part of the Development Plan for Harlow and include Site SIR3-1 Harlow Mill Rail Station which is safeguarded as a Transhipment Site and Coated Stone Plant. |
11.45 Essex County Council is responsible for waste and minerals planning in Harlow and has prepared a Waste Development Plan Document and a Minerals Development Plan Document. They include allocations and Development Management policies. These documents form part of the Local Plan and will be taken into consideration as part of the submission of planning applications.
11.46 The Council will ensure that the principles of the Waste Hierarchy (see Fig. 11.1) continue to be implemented as part of its contribution to waste planning and will aim to achieve a recycling target of 50%19.
Fig. 11.1: Waste Hierarchy
11.47 Implementation of this policy will require a collaborative approach between the Council and Essex County Council as the waste and minerals authority. The Council will ensure that applications take into consideration waste and minerals development plan documents.
19 The EU Waste Framework Directive states that the UK must recycle 50% of household waste by 2020.
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