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.”
Harlow’s geography within the Innovation Corridor, the UK’s equivalent to Silicon Valley, will play a significant part as the local area looks to surpass some of the country’s biggest cities for new build development.
“We can grow twice as fast as Cambridge, expand quicker than Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds and deliver 23,000 new jobs in and around Harlow by 2044,” explained Naisha.
“But up-front infrastructure funding and innovation in delivery methods is critical if we’re to maximise that aspiration.”
Last year saw Garden Town partner, East Herts Council, grant an agreement of approval for 10,000 new homes across seven new Garden Town villages in Gilston with new transport infrastructure connecting to Harlow recently starting construction.
And the regeneration of the Town Centre is already underway with the construction of a new transport hub and interchange that will replace the bus station while clearance works for a new Arts & Cultural Quarter in Playhouse Square and College Square began last summer.
Market Square, visited by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1957, is to receive a full transformation and will be green landscaped to accommodate new bars, restaurants and nightlife within the revamped area plus Broad Walk, East Walk and Harvey Centre Approach will all be upgraded.
“Harlow was seen nationally as a pioneer back in the days of the New Town and we can be again,” said Naisha.
“And it’s not just for the people who are attracted to the new neighbourhoods in the future but for those who have grown up here, been educated locally and call Harlow their home.
“We want to do our very best for the people here now and those that follow them. ”
Find out more about the Garden Town’s economic ambitions for the local area by clicking here.
And click here for the full scope of infrastructure delivery coming to Harlow & Gilston Garden Town.
