Transport Leads Developer Discussion

Active and sustainable travel were the main discussion points at Harlow & Gilston Garden Town’s first Developer Forum of the year on Tuesday 4 February.

Taking place at Harlow Rugby Club, stakeholders from across the Garden Town’s five council partnership were in attendance alongside developers and landowners from all four of the project’s strategic sites.

HGGT made headlines last month with East Herts Council issuing planning permission for 10,000 homes across seven Garden Town villages in Gilston.

With residents highlighting improved bus services as a priority during the Garden Town’s Your Quality of Life campaign in 2022, the topic was back on the Developer Forum agenda following HGGT’s successful Bus Summit with local operators last Autumn.

Challenges and goals of bus provision were discussed with Forum attendees while Peter Nathanail from Central Connect presented on the benefits of bus friendly housing developments and how reliable services can widen the new build buyer pool locally.

With HGGT aiming for a modal transition of 50% in existing Harlow and 60% across the new Garden Town developments, Duncan Robertson from Micro Mobility Partners presented on the feasibility of a bike hire scheme for the local area.   

Discussion points included funding options to bring a trial scheme to Harlow & Gilston Garden Town alongside consultation with the bike share industry and learnings from similar schemes across the UK.

Also on the agenda at the Developer Forum was the Garden Town’s Data Dashboard project, funded by Government’s Proptech initiative.

Led by Alex Turnham and Sam Terrell from the HGGT Team, the Data Dashboard project collates information from consultations across the Garden Town’s five council partners, creating a landscape that not only identifies current resident issues and need but shapes future plans.

The event ended with Louise Mansfield and Julia Dorrington from Allies and Morrison leading a discussion on HGGT’s Design Guide and how a potential update to the 2018 version can represent recent changes to the National Planning and Policy Framework.

Forum attendees also discussed how an updated Design Guide might sync with the Garden Town’s Design Code for Latton Priory, Your Quality of Life recommendations and masterplans for all of Harlow & Gilston’s strategic sites.