New Harlow development to provide over 170 apartments
The development will feature parking spaces, cycle racks and communal roof gardens
Last updated 14th Mar 2024
Harlow Council are set to buy a large, private residential development, bringing over 170 new homes to people in the area.
They've hailed the agreement a success, after the development, near Burnt Mill roundabout rose to wide-spread media coverage late last year, when it was reported that Newham Council were seeking to buy the development. The Council say they "worked around the clock" to prevent that from happening, and the new homes are now available for those in Harlow.
The deal with the council and contracts with developers Hollybrook are due to be completed in the coming days.
172 one- and two-bedroom apartments designed and constructed for private rental will be featured in the development, as well as 150 cycle racks as well as parking spaces, and communal roof gardens.
Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of Harlow Council, says the purchase puts the housing needs of Harlow residents first:
“We have worked extremely hard to buy this private development for the benefit of Harlow residents. I’m sure most people from the town would have read or heard the news that Newham Council were working on a deal to buy this building. I said that we would do everything we could to block that deal and we have moved quickly to buy this development instead. This is all about putting the housing needs of Harlow residents first and standing up for our town.
"This is an impressive and modern development, which has been built to a very high standard and is located on a key gateway in and out of Harlow. The original development was always intended for the rental market with just over 9% being affordable housing. We will be increasing the amount of affordable housing to 30% with those homes allocated to Harlow families on our Housing Needs Register with the rest being available for Harlow residents to rent.”
The decision was supported by cross-parties in the council.
Who will the housing be for?
The development was originally intended as a build-to-rent scheme, and this will remain the case.
According to a press release on the council's website, all 172 homes will be available to anyone who lives in Harlow, with 52 apartments (thirty percent), allocated to Harlow families on the Housing Needs Register at affordable rent levels.
A further 120 homes will be available to Harlow residents at market rent levels. They say NHS workers, those in education and other essential workers may be considered in schemes to meet different housing needs.