The first Garden Town village in the Gilston Area has taken a significant step forward following masterplan approval by East Herts Council.
Prepared by Places for People and Barratt Redrow, the Village 1 masterplan sets out the detailed design framework for the new neighbourhood and will guide the delivery of up to 1,600 homes alongside schools, community facilities, green spaces and sustainable transport connections.
As the first of seven villages planned within the Gilston Area (six from Places for People/Barratt Redrow and one from Taylor Wimpey), the approval marks an important milestone for the wider Harlow & Gilston Garden Town programme and helps establish the approach that will be taken across future phases of development.
Plans for Village 1 include two new schools, dedicated walking and cycling links connecting schools, villages and Harlow, a village square, commercial space, a one-hectare village park, specialist accommodation for older people, and early years provision.
Following the development officially breaking ground in May, with infrastructure works now underway, the landmark approval means that the first homes in Gilston Village 1 are due to commence in 2029.
Councillor Vicky Glover-Ward, Vice Chair of the Harlow & Gilston Garden Town Joint Committee and East Herts Council’s Executive Member for Planning and Growth, welcomed the decision: “The approval of the Village 1 Masterplan marks an important step forward for the provision of up to 10,000 new homes at Gilston and supports the objectives of developments in the wider Harlow & Gilston Garden Town.
“We have worked closely with Places for People, Barratt Redrow and local communities to help shape plans that will deliver not just new homes, but the schools, green spaces, walking and cycling routes, community facilities and the local businesses needed to create a thriving new neighbourhood.
“As the development progresses, we will continue working with our partners and local communities to deliver a high-quality development and create a place where people will desire to live, work and spend time.”
Councillor Paul Zukowskyj, Harlow & Gilston Garden Town Joint Committee member and Hertfordshire County Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Transport and Growth, added: “The approval of the Village 1 Masterplan is an important step forward for the Harlow & Gilston Garden Town project and demonstrates the value of strong partnership working across local authorities, developers and communities.
“This ambitious scheme will help deliver much-needed new homes alongside the infrastructure, schools, green spaces and sustainable transport connections required to support thriving communities from day one.
“Through careful planning, the development will encourage active travel, improve access to services and create opportunities for people of all ages to live, work and prosper locally.
“Hertfordshire County Council has worked closely with East Herts Council, the Places for People and Barratt Redrow Joint Venture and other partners throughout the development of the masterplan.
“We are pleased to see a landscape-led approach that respects the area’s existing character while supporting sustainable growth, enhancing biodiversity and helping to create healthier, greener communities for current and future residents.”
