Council backs plans for new River Stort crossing near Harlow

At a six-hour long meeting of the district council’s Development Management committee on February 22, councillors backed plans to improve the existing Stort Crossing and to create a new Eastern Stort Crossing.

The plans for the garden village were included in Harlow and East Herts’ district plans in 2018, with developers Places for People seeking permission to build the necessary infrastructure, ahead of outline plans for seven new villages.

The infrastructure works include improvements to the newly-titled Central Stort Crossing, which would alter the existing Fifth Avenue road and rail bridge, and create new bridges to the west to support a widened highway.

Read more: New date for votes on Harlow River Stort crossing

This would also include separated walking and cycling routes to encourage greener travel between Hertfordshire and Essex.

The creation of a new Eastern Stort Crossing would bring together three new roads.

Two of the roads would result in a realignment of the current Eastwick Road between the Fifth Avenue roundabout and Pye Corner.

The third new road would travel between the new roundabout and River Way, through woodland and passing over the Stort Valley and River Stort Navigation.

Plans for new Stort Crossings into Harlow will be voted on next week credit: Places for People Clear for all LDRS partners

At Tuesday’s meeting, neighbours objecting to the plans raised concerns about whether planners were “putting the horse before the cart” in discussing the road network before any homes had been approved, with others saying the proposals were “too conceptual” when no masterplan for the garden village had been published.

Those living nearby to the new Eastern Crossing also raised concern over the loss of amenity land through compulsory purchase, the impact on noise and air impact, and any potential flooding impact. 

Concerns were also raised over whether adding extra capacity could actually encourage car use if the road preceded the building of new homes, and asked for a more gradual construction process.

However, the developers said the A414 was already under pressure and the plans, which could take three years to complete, were crucial to supporting the area’s infrastructure.

Read more: ‘Nobody wants this crossing, it’s vandalism’ says angry protesters

Outlining their proposals, the developers said the new roads, rail bridge and pedestrian routes would support a more sustainable future.

Yuved Bheenick, development director at Places for People, told councillors: “The A414 corridor is already under significant pressure. In order to provide capacity to meet the wider needs of the existing residents and businesses, and for future growth, it’s recognised by Harlow and Gilston Garden Town (HGGT), East Hertfordshire and Harlow Council, as well as the highway authority that connectivity over the River Stort needs to be improved.

“HGGT’s ambition is that 60 per cent of all trips originating from the new communities are to be made by sustainable modes of transport and 50 per cent in established areas across the garden town.

“Enhancements to the existing Fifth Avenue crossing and the creation of a new Stort Valley crossing play a critical role in facilitating this vision to provide a more sustainable future.”

“When combined, the crossings will: enable the delivery of HGGT’s transport vision of an integrated network for sustainable transport corridors for the central store crossing part of the network; they’ll provide safer, dedicated routes for pedestrian and cyclists between Harlow town centre,  Harlow Town station, leisure facilities and the Gliston area. 

“They create new public transport routes to and from Harlow station, Harlow town centre, and employment areas, as well as creating a new link through to the new J7a of the M11 and once relocated the new Harlow hospital, which will avoid Harlow town centre. 

“They’ll also assist with improving air quality in and around Harlow town centre as new and improved bus, pedestrian and cycle links will lead to less reliance on the private vehicle by both new and existing communities.”

In the creation of the new eastern bridge, the plans include landscaping to work as a visual and noise buffer to try to alleviate issues to neighbours. The public right of way at Fiddlers’ Brook will also be maintained alongside the new bridge.

Councillors agreed to both proposals, but ensured conditions were in place to guarantee any design brief for the central crossing included an engagement strategy to consult with local people, while enabling work on the eastern crossing must stop if the developers have not been granted permission for the new villages within 21 months.

The plans for the Central Stort Crossing were approved unanimously by the committee, while the Eastern Stort Crossing passed by 8-3.

Councillors did not have sufficient time to discuss a third planning application to grant Listed Building Consent to carry out repair works and new balustrade to Fiddlers’ Bridge as part of the proposals, and this will be voted on at the next Development Management Committee on March 2.

As the application crosses districts, Harlow District Council will vote on the Stort Crossing proposals on February 23, and both councils must grant planning permission for the plans to go ahead.

Places for People are planning on building 8,500 new homes as part of six new villages as part of the Garden Town proposals, with a seventh village being built by Briggens Estate Ltd. 

The outline applications for those proposals were submitted in May 2021 and November 2019 respectively, and could be determined later this year.

ENDS

Webcast and documents available here https://eastherts.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/645925