Gilston: Unlocking Big-Vision Growth

The Gilston area of the Garden Town featured in the Guardian this week with the seven-village scheme highlighted as a project that sits alongside the Government’s proposed New Towns for scale, ambition and infrastructure-led development

Designed for long‑term community living, Chief Executive of Places for People, Greg Reed, told the Guardian that that the vision for Gilston combines “social housing, affordable housing, shared ownership and outright sales” across connected villages, 10,000 homes (2300 affordable) and 660 hectares of parks, woodland and active‑travel corridors.

Places for People will bring forward 8500 new homes across six of the Gilston villages with Taylor Wimpey overseeing the seventh village and a further 1500 homes.

Gilston stands out as an example of how collaborative partnerships can unlock big‑vision growth, with East Herts Council working through the Harlow & Gilston Garden Town partnership alongside developers Places for People and Taylor Wimpey to deliver the outline planning permissions and emerging landscape and village masterplans.

Schools, community infrastructure, healthcare, sustainable transport and green infrastructure have been secured through collaboration with Hertfordshire County Council, the NHS and the HGGT partnership.

This ensures new development has the right supporting infrastructure, aligns with long‑term stewardship, and supports community participation and ownership in the new communities.

Uniting councils, communities and developers around a shared purpose, East Herts Council have helped bring Gilston forward with not only the right foundations for the future but a focus on creating great places to live.

Now on the cusp of delivery, Gilston is leading the way for large‑scale placemaking in the UK.