Town Plan

Harlow Council is looking ahead to what Harlow will be like in 2047 when the town is 100 years old.

We have worked on a draft Town Plan which sets out a vision for Harlow and how the town could grow and develop over the next 26 years.

It's important that we get your views on the plan so that it reflects the ambitions and aspirations of our community.

You can read the full vision of our draft Town Plan (pdf)

You can also read a summary of our vision below.

Summary of our vision

Harlow will be one of the best towns in Britain to raise your family and to send your children to school, the best place to start a business, the best place to live and to be a place of aspiration, innovation and prosperity for all.

The town has faced challenging times recently, especially due to the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on residents and businesses alike, but through this vision the council will ensure a sound platform is in place to aid Harlow’s recovery and its future development and success.

The vision provides a long term framework for the growth and regeneration of the town until 2047, drawing on what has been planned and achieved to date, which will evolve and develop over time to reflect our ambition and aspirations.

Some of the key achievements we hope Harlow will have made by 2047:

  • Harlow will have grown to the scale of a small city.
  • A rebuild of the town centre will have taken place and a once-in-a-generation programme of neighbourhood renewal rolled out.
  • Harlow will be an economic powerhouse in the East of England and UK Innovation Corridor, built on innovation, enterprise, life sciences and advanced manufacturing
  • Growth will be sustainable, planned and integrated with the existing town and continue to be underpinned by Gibberd’s New Town principles.
  • New buildings will be recognised for leading the way in terms of mitigating against and adapting to climate change, while existing buildings will have been retrofitted to ensure they are also playing their part.
  • Harlow will have a sustainable transport network which will have changed the way that residents move around the town by walking, cycling and by using sustainable public transport systems.
  • Harlow will be a world class digital area with ultra-fast broadband linking seamlessly with residents, transport and business.
  • Thousands of new, high-skilled, long-term jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities will be created increasing the productivity and output of Harlow’s local economy and spreading opportunity and prosperity.
  • The Green Wedge and Green Finger network, as well as biodiversity assets, will have been retained and maintained.

Your comments

The window for comments closed on Monday 31 January 2022.