3.1 The Spatial Vision for Harlow to 2033 (see Fig. 3.1) and the Local Plan Strategic Objectives (see Fig. 3.3) illustrate how the Local Plan will shape the district for future generations.
Fig. 3.1: Spatial Vision for Harlow to 2033, based on the Harlow Corporate Plan
By 2033, Harlow will have:
Harlow’s residents will be more active, taking advantage of Harlow’s excellent sporting, leisure and cultural facilities. The overall health and wellbeing of Harlow’s residents will be improved.
The perception of Harlow as a declining economic centre will have been reversed through the success of the Enterprise Zone sites and securing the status of the district as a prime business location and retail destination.
The district’s economy will be diversified and there will be a wide range of employment opportunities across Harlow, fit for a modern and dynamic economy.
New development will have revitalised key areas. A programme of urban renewal will have replaced poorer housing stock with modern and sustainable buildings; this will have been complemented by a programme of selective development in locations across the district as part of a holistic programme of regeneration and redevelopment.
Major progress will have been made to address Harlow’s health and wealth inequalities as well as addressing localised deprivation across the district’s deprived neighbourhoods.
The amount of vacant and underused land in the district will have been minimised. Urban expansion of Harlow will be complete and residents will see the benefits of the growth through better infrastructure and other facilities and services across the district. The Town Centre, Neighbourhood Centres and Hatches will be thriving mixed-use areas benefiting from an improved public realm and increased activity.
Harlow will have retained a network of Green Wedges, supplemented by a number of Green Fingers. The district’s Green Infrastructure, including green and open spaces, will be of consistently high quality and better connected to residential areas, providing multifunctional opportunities for residents and wildlife. Residents will also benefit from improved access to the countryside surrounding Harlow.
The land use and transport policies will be co-ordinated to ensure the maximum possible increase in passenger transport, walking and cycling. Major investment will be underway to address a number of specific transport capacity issues which are currently restricting growth and investment. This investment will include a new junction on the M11 (Junction 7a); substantial improvements to the internal road network, including support for a northern bypass beyond the Local Plan period; and the provision of an improved railway network through Crossrail 2 and/or four-tracking of the West Anglia mainline.
New development will minimise the use of global resources, support the development of good waste management, mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, and ensure a net gain in biodiversity is delivered. Development will be innovative in design and construction and new buildings will be energy efficient and use as much energy from renewable sources as possible.
3.2 The Council’s Corporate Priorities (see Fig. 3.2) are reflected in the Local Plan Strategic Objectives (see Fig. 3.3). The Objectives consider the identified challenges, reflecting the social, economic and environmental characteristics of the district.
Fig. 3.2: Harlow Council Corporate Priorities (2018)
HARLOW COUNCIL CORPORATE PRIORITIES
Fig. 3.3: Local Plan Strategic Objectives
| LOCAL PLAN THEME | LOCAL PLAN STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES | LINKED CORPORATE PRIORITY/IES |
|---|---|---|
| PLACESHAPING (Enhancing the quality of the built and natural environment) |
1. Create and enhance high quality built environments which are well connected to revitalised green spaces 2. Deliver high quality design through new development whilst protecting and enhancing the district’s historic environment 3. Adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change |
A clean and green environment |
| HOUSING (Delivering housing at the right scale, of the right type and in the right location to meet the whole community’s needs) |
4. Identify sites to meet local housing needs both now and in the future 5. Provide a range of suitable housing for the community including a range of tenure and type 6. Improve the quality of homes in the district through new developments, regenerated neighbourhoods and priority estates |
More and better housing |
| PROSPERITY (Securing economic growth & regeneration to improve employment & educational opportunities in the district & reflect its strategic role) |
7. Meet the employment needs of the district by diversifying and investing in the district’s employment base 8. Secure economic revitalisation and reinforce Harlow’s reputation as a key centre for Research and Development 9. Improve educational opportunities and the skills base of local residents 10. Provide a range of shopping needs for local residents and the wider sub-region by regenerating the Town Centre and protecting and enhancing Neighbourhood Centres and Hatches |
Regeneration and a thriving economy; andSuccessful children and young people |
| LIFESTYLES (Sustainably meeting the leisure, recreational and cultural requirements of the community) |
11. Provide and enhance sporting, leisure, recreational facilities and cultural opportunities in the district 12. Provide opportunities to improve the overall health and wellbeing of Harlow’s residents |
Wellbeing and social inclusion |
| INFRASTRUCTURE (Ensuring growth and regeneration is supported by appropriate infrastructure provision) |
13. Ensure that development is fully supported by providing the necessary infrastructure including education, healthcare and other community facilities 14. Reduce the need to travel by vehicle and ensure new development is sustainably located and/or accessible by sustainable and innovative modes of transport 15. Improve transport links, particularly for sustainable modes of transport, to access all facilities and jobs 16. Enhance and promote the role of Harlow as a transport interchange along the M11 |
Regeneration and a thriving economy |
3.3 The London Stansted Cambridge Consortium (LSCC) is a strategic partnership of public and private organisations covering the area north of the Royal Docks and Tech City (London) up through the Lee Valley, the M11, A10 and West Anglia Mainline corridors to Stevenage, Harlow and Stansted and through to Cambridge and Peterborough. The extent of the area is shown in Fig. 3.4, overleaf. The partnership was formed to organise and promote a distinct economic area with strong inter-connections, commuting to work and learn patterns, clusters of industries and supply chains.
3.4 At the heart of the LSC Corridor is the ‘Core Area’ of Harlow, Epping Forest, East Hertfordshire, Uttlesford and Broxbourne. This Core Area is a key location in the LSC Corridor and is set to bring forward substantial growth over the Local Plan period and beyond. It was agreed by the respective local authorities and the LSCC that a co-ordinated approach needs to be taken forward to deliver growth in the area.
3.5 The LSCC vision (see Fig. 3.5) sets out the growth and economic ambitions for the Core Area and this will in turn form part of a wider strategic sustainable growth framework. The framework will pull together existing and forthcoming work on transport and social and community infrastructure and put this in the form of a prospectus to make the strategic case for investment in the Core Area.
Fig. 3.4: London – Stansted – Cambridge Corridor
© LSCC Growth Commission. Reproduced with permission of LSCC Growth Commission
Fig. 3.5: Vision for the LSCC Core Area
The Core Area will build on its key strengths including its skilled workforce in sectors such as health, life sciences and pharmaceuticals, advanced engineering and aerospace, its high quality environment and educational opportunities. Together with Stansted Airport, the local authorities will deliver sustainable growth which supports the economic ambitions of the LSCC and the UK through:
working with partners to secure investment in major infrastructure including increasing rail capacity on the West Anglia Mainline and maximising the opportunities that Crossrail 2 can deliver, together with road improvements including a new junction on the M11 at 7a and improvements to junctions 7 and 8, and to the A414 A120, A10 and M25; and delivery of superfast broadband;
supporting the delivery of new jobs in the Harlow Enterprise Zone, and the north side of Stansted Airport, Broxbourne Park Plaza, Brookfield and Bishop’s Stortford - all identified as Strategic Opportunity Sites within the corridor; and
The Core Area supports the development and sustainable growth of Greater Harlow and key growth locations at Broxbourne, Brookfield and Bishop’s Stortford together with Stansted Airport growing to its full permitted capacity and as a business growth hub. These centres, with proportionate growth throughout the wider area, and the right investment, would create an economic powerhouse.
Putting in place these critical building blocks will provide the foundations for looking further ahead to 2050. Certainty through further investment and delivery of key infrastructure, including in the West Anglia mainline, Crossrail 2, the M11 junctions, M25 junctions, A414, A120 and A10 is a vital component of this.
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