Both Cllr Dan Swords and Harlow & Gilston Garden Town Director, Naisha Polaine, have welcomed Harlow Council’s decision to support a new joint committee for HGGT with all future meetings being made public.
Harlow are the first of HGGT’s five council partnership to agree to the new joint committee with East Herts District Council, Epping Forest DC, Essex County Council and Hertfordshire CC all set to meet over the coming weeks to add their endorsement.
Leader of Harlow Council, Cllr Dan Swords said: “This is a massively welcomed step and one that anyone can recognise will move the partnership forward.
“The public accountability thing is enormous.
“To date, all the board meetings have been private behind closed doors. And that is not the way to run future developments for the growth of the town. And that is why these steps are being taken.”
With clearance works for a new Arts & Cultural Quarter in Playhouse Square having started this summer, Cllr Swords said: “Harlow is in the driving seat and this is about the growth of Harlow, increasing the economy with increased footfall and increased revenue.”
The development of Cambridge Road Junction is the first phase of the new Garden Town led transport infrastructure with ground work having started this month.
Commenting on Harlow’s endorsement, Naisha Polaine said: “We have reviewed the governance of the Garden Town over the past year and identified a need to strengthen the accountability and transparency associated with the project.
“The changes we have proposed will allow us to do this whilst also maintaining our agile approach to decision-making, just as we move into the delivery phase of the project.
“The new Joint Committee will provide the strong civic leadership required to ensure high-quality new housing alongside the required infrastructure needed to support the existing community and new residents within the Garden Town.”
Other projects on the way include the Latton Priory neighbourhood master plan, already approved by Epping Forest District Council.
And earlier this year saw East Herts District Council agree to approve 10,000 new Garden Town homes.
