Harlow Local Development Plan: Emerging Strategy & Further Options Consultation Summary Report Contents 1. Background ........................................................................................................ 1 2. Emerging Strategy and Further Options Consultation ................................... 2 Consultation Materials ...................................................................................... 2 Getting involved................................................................................................ 3 Notification Methodology .................................................................................. 4 Public Exhibitions ............................................................................................. 4 Further Press and Publicity .............................................................................. 5 3. Analysis of overall response ............................................................................. 6 4. Analysis of consultation responses ................................................................. 8 Question 1 ...................................................................................................... 10 Question 2 ...................................................................................................... 13 Question 3 ...................................................................................................... 16 Question 4 ...................................................................................................... 20 Question 5 ...................................................................................................... 23 Question 6 ...................................................................................................... 26 Question 7 ...................................................................................................... 29 Question 8 ...................................................................................................... 32 Question 9 ...................................................................................................... 35 5. Summary and Next Steps ................................................................................ 38 Appendix 1: Question-specific comments received .......................................... 40 Question 1 ...................................................................................................... 40 Question 2 ...................................................................................................... 45 Question 3 ...................................................................................................... 47 Question 4 ...................................................................................................... 48 Question 5 ...................................................................................................... 49 Question 6 ...................................................................................................... 51 Question 7 ...................................................................................................... 52 Question 8 ...................................................................................................... 53 Question 9 ...................................................................................................... 54 Appendix 2: Other comments received (split by topic) ..................................... 56 Areas and Sites .............................................................................................. 57 Open Spaces ................................................................................................. 60 Employment ................................................................................................... 62 Harlow Local Development Plan: Emerging Strategy & Further Options Consultation Summary Report Infrastructure (General) .................................................................................. 62 Infrastructure (Transport) ............................................................................... 63 Regeneration .................................................................................................. 65 Town Centre ................................................................................................... 66 Other Issues ................................................................................................... 66 Consultation Process ..................................................................................... 68 Petition submitted by STOP Harlow North ..................................................... 69 Appendix 3: Summaries of Representations from Specific Consultees .......... 71 Essex County Council .................................................................................... 71 Hertfordshire County Council ......................................................................... 75 East Hertfordshire District Council.................................................................. 78 Epping Forest District Council ........................................................................ 81 Eastwick & Gilston Parish Council.................................................................. 82 Hunsdon Parish Council and Eastwick & Gilston Parish Council ................... 82 Highways Agency ........................................................................................... 83 Environment Agency ...................................................................................... 85 Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust ......................................................... 86 West Essex CCG & NHS England (Agent: Lawson Planning Partnership) .... 86 Natural England.............................................................................................. 87 English Heritage ............................................................................................. 87 Thames Water (Agent: Savills) ....................................................................... 89 Appendix 4: Comments received relating to the Sustainability Appraisal ...... 91 Appendix 5: Youth Council presentation & discussion .................................... 92 Appendix 6: List of consultees ............................................................................ 94 Appendix 7: Respondents ................................................................................... 99 Appendix 8: Example of notification letter ....................................................... 102 Appendix 9: Harlow Times news article (Spring 2014) .................................... 103 Appendix 10: Harlow Star news article (30 January 2014) .............................. 104 Appendix 11: Harlow Star news article (10 April 2014) ................................... 106 Appendix 12: Harlow Star news article (8 May 2014) ....................................... 107 Appendix 13: Exhibition board panels .............................................................. 108 Appendix 14: Exhibition photos ........................................................................ 111 Appendix 15: Window poster in Civic Centre ................................................... 114 Appendix 16: Website banner............................................................................ 115 Harlow Local Development Plan: Emerging Strategy & Further Options Consultation Summary Report 1. Background 1.1. Harlow Council is currently preparing a new Harlow Local Development Plan (HLDP). Once adopted, the HLDP will cover the period of 2011 to 2031 and will replace the existing Adopted Replacement Harlow Local Plan (which covered the period of 2006 to 2011). 1.2. The HLDP will set out the planning framework for Harlow up to the year 2031. It will include: • strategies and policies which will guide the growth and development of the town to meet the needs of residents and businesses • detailed policies setting out how proposals for development will be assessed • a schedule of infrastructure requirements and a supporting strategy for infrastructure implementation • an explanation of how the plan will be monitored and how actions will be implemented if necessary 1.3. The HLDP will consist of three main parts: • Strategic Policies • Development Management Policies • Policies Map 1.4. There are also a number of supporting documents to the HLDP: • Local Development Scheme • Evidence Base (comprising a range of technical documents) • Annual Monitoring Reports • Supplementary Planning Documents • Sustainability Appraisals • Statement of Community Involvement • Area Action Plans (if required) 1.5. A number of these documents have been completed and in some cases are regularly revised and updated. The various methods of consultations used during the preparation of the HLDP can be found in the Statement of Community Involvement: Review. This describes how the Council consults with the community in the preparation of Local Planning and other related documents. 1.6. The first stage in the preparation of the HLDP was the Issues and Options consultation undertaken at the end of 2010. This set out options for growth in Harlow based on development requirements in the East of England Plan. Since then, the Government has made a number of major changes to the planning system culminating in the abolition of the East of England Plan. This means the Council is now responsible for identifying the level of growth needed in Harlow, as well as location of new development