Inclusive Growth Strategy - Gilston Park Estate · 2019-05-30 · Inclusive Growth Strategy Placemaking Strategy ... 3. Providing models of housing and care that meet the challenges

Inclusive Growth Strategy

Local opportunity and prosperity

APRIL 2019

Garden City Principle Relevant Gilston Park Estate StrategyStrong vision, leadership and community engagement Placemaking Strategy

Governance Strategy

Land value capture to deliver the social and physical infrastructure for the benefit of the community

Governance StrategyEducation and Learning Strategy

Long-term community ownership of land and stewardship of assets

Governance Strategy

Mixed-tenure homes and housing types including those that are genuinely affordable

Housing StrategyPlacemaking Strategy

A wide range of local jobs within easy commuting distance of homes

Inclusive Growth StrategyPlacemaking StrategySustainable Movement Strategy

Beautifully and imaginatively designed homes with access to open space, combining the best of town and country to create healthy communities, and including opportunities to grow food

Placemaking StrategyHealth and Wellbeing StrategyHousing StrategyNatural and Historic Landscape Strategy

Development that enhances the natural environment, providing a comprehensive green infrastructure network and net biodiversity gains, and that uses energy-positive technology to ensure climate resilience

Natural and Historic Landscape StrategySustainability StrategyPlacemaking Strategy

Strong cultural, recreational and shopping facilities in walkable, vibrant, sociable communities

Placemaking StrategySustainable Movement Strategy

Integrated and accessible sustainable transport systems, with walking, cycling and public transport designed to be the most attractive forms of local transport for new residents to travel within the Gilston Area and to key local destinations

Sustainable Movement StrategyPlacemaking StrategySustainability StrategyGovernance Strategy

The proposals for Gilston Park Estate respond to the requirements of Policy GA1 of the East Herts District Plan and specifically the Garden City principles identified at criteria III of the policy. The table below identifies which of the ‘strategies’ submitted in support of the application address the requirements of each Garden City principle.

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Inclusive growth commitments

Places for People commits to:

1. Delivering locally-led and sustainable and inclusive growth at Gilston Park Estate. This means growth that is distributed fairly across society and creates opportunities for all; it means growth that does not benefit a few people at the expense of others living now or in the future.

2. Delivering homes for all by providing a unique and innovative approach to tenure, management and construction. This will enable a wide spectrum of affordable products to be offered, meeting the needs of residents at all stages in their housing career.

3. Providing models of housing and care that meet the challenges of supporting older people in the 21st century.

4. Helping support the area’s economic growth over the coming decades by developing skills, including life-long learning, within the local community by working in partnership with local schools and other providers and delivering a Construction Skills Centre.

5. Being at the forefront of innovation in housing construction and will seek opportunities to use its knowledge and investment to develop the UK skills base and supply chain to the benefit of the whole economy.

6. Supporting the growth of Harlow’s Enterprise Zone, which is creating modern business space for businesses in the ICT, Advanced Manufacturing and Life Science sectors that will ultimately employ 5,000 workers.

7. Supporting local firms to tender for opportunities, including allowing partnerships to access works packages – so small firms can still benefit.

8. Implementing the Placemaking Strategy, including a series of placemaking principles, the constituent parts of will collectively create a successful new place. Both current and future residents will be shape and influence the development and long-term arrangements will be put in place for the stewardship of assets on the site.

9. Exploring innovative solutions and partnerships to support healthcare, heath lifestyles and wellbeing at Gilston Park Estate.

10. Implementing the Gilston Park Estate Digital Vision, which will be underpinned by first class digital connectivity; working with partners in education and community to support digital literacy.

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Contents

1. Introduction 06

2. Places for People’s approach 09

3. Core strategy for inclusive growth 12

4. Homes for All 14

5. Economy and regeneration 20

6. Building a great place 32

7. Delivery 41

Inclusive Growth Strategy APRIL 2019

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Inclusive growth is economic growth that is distributed fairly across society and creates opportunities for all1. It means growth that does not benefit a few people at the expense of others living now or in the future. It is closely linked to the three overarching objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework2 (which are also “the three pillars of sustainability”) – the social objective, the economic objective and the environmental objective.

In Government policy, the social element relates to the health, vibrancy, cultural wellbeing and strength of a community – supported by homes, a built environment and services3. Also typically included under this element are equity, inclusivity, lifestyle, beliefs and behaviours and cohesion with others.

The economic element relates to a strong, responsive and competitive economy – with land and infrastructure brought forward to support this4. This typically also relates to education, skills and training, access to employment and matters of financial security.

The environmental element concerns protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment – and the prudent use of natural resources, mitigating and adapting to climate change5. On an individual basis this can include the ability to access and make transport, lifestyle and consumer choices that have lower environmental impacts.

A key backdrop to these aspirations is the UK’s need for new homes. Delivering new homes, planned alongside the right infrastructure and investment can contribute to the three objectives of the NPPF - and the wider ambitions considered as part of the pillars of sustainability. New homes need to be affordable, in the places where people want to live and where they support our economy. They need to be planned with health, wellbeing and inclusivity of existing and future residents and long term sustainability of the environment as a key consideration. Gilston Park Estate will deliver 8,500 new homes for East Hertfordshire. The Site has been identified in planning policy as a strategic site for housing delivery, to meet critical local need. It is the largest site in the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.

Gilston lies at the heart of one of the most important economic regions in the country, equidistant between one of the great global cities and one of the best Universities in the world, and close to one of Europe’s fastest growing airports. The corridor has some of the highest productivity businesses and workers and generates a surplus in goods traded with the rest of the world. The continued growth and success of our economy depends on the economic future of places like this.

1 Introduction

1 Definition of Inclusive growth from the OECD - https://www.oecd.org/inclusive-growth/#introduction accessed 09.04.192 MHCLG, 2019, National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 83 MHCLG, 2019, National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 8 (b)4 MHCLG, 2019, National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 8 (a)5 MHCLG, 2019, National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 8 (c)

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At the same time, East Hertfordshire is one of the least affordable places to live in the country. It is popular and prosperous but the cost of buying or renting a home here is prohibitive; pushing young people away and preventing new working families from moving in. If left unchecked – and as the population ages – this situation will threaten the long-term sustainability of the district, its services and its part in the wider economy.

Sustaining growth in the corridor is therefore not straightforward. There are already pressures and constraints here and a supply of good quality, affordable housing options is chief amongst them. East Herts District Council has identified a local unmet need for 18,458 new homes by 2033.

The Gilston Area (with Gilston Park Estate delivering 8,500 of the 10,000 homes that will come forward) is a major opportunity to provide these homes as part of a masterplan-led development. The scale of the development, the planning process and milestones that have been put in place, the community engagement and delivery approach proposed will all ensure that development will be high quality, accountable to residents and in line with Garden Town principles.

Places for People is a committed, experienced and ambitious developer who has worked with the local authorities and the community for nearly ten years to develop a thorough understanding of local constraints, concerns and opportunities. It has a social agenda and

puts wellbeing and inclusivity at the heart of decision making.

When Places for People acquired this site, it had three corporate objectives:

• Deliver more homes, of better quality, with supporting infrastructure;

• Support Harlow’s growth and regeneration; and,

• Create a great place to live.

These three objectives have driven the approach to planning and decision making throughout the process to date. This report sets out how Gilston Park Estate will fulfil these objectives, delivering locally-led and sustainable, inclusive growth in East Hertfordshire. With respect to the three pillars of sustainability, this report deals mainly with economic and social matters. There are detailed strategies separately prepared which address environmental sustainability, placemaking, landscape and transport and movement - although a joined-up approach has been applied throughout. Gilston Park Estate will have demonstrable benefits in social and economic terms. The design and management and tenure options of the homes will support choice and inclusivity for families. It will create jobs – and opportunities to learn and train.


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It will provide a sense of place, local facilities and services that support healthy choices. It will establish a community trust structure to empower residents to make decisions about how local assets are used and maintained. Gilston Park Estate is a chance to meet local and strategic needs within a nationally endorsed policy framework, alongside other Garden Towns and Villages, and in keeping with the principles of sustainability.

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Introduction Places for People is uniquely placed in the UK market as a combined developer, housebuilder, property manager, service provider, Registered Provider and a regulated financial services operator. This unrivalled experience supports a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of a community, and how to help it thrive. Places for People is not for dividend (which means it has no shareholders) and all profits are invested back into its business and its places. Places for People is one of very few developers that works across all housing markets and tenures with an objective of offering a home for everyone. It is one the largest Registered Providers of affordable homes, with a major investment programme to deliver thousands more. As well as homes for sale, it develops and manages homes for rent, retirement housing and housing with care and support.

Places for People has taken a principles-led approach at Gilston Park Estate. This means that, while there is flexibility as to details of the development (for example the exact uses and layout in the village centres) there are firm commitments and standards in place against which the development can be tested and for which Places for People will be accountable.

Places for People will be the master developer over the whole of the Gilston Park Estate. Individual plots may be brought forward by other developers or housebuilders but Places for People will retain the strategic overview and control.

The proposals are the culmination of the vision, feedback and engagement of stakeholders at every level. Places for People believes these guiding principles are linked and mutually supporting. Each layer has influenced decision-making and commitments throughout the preparation of this application.

2 Places for People’s approach

Figure 1: Places for People’s range of housing solutions

A range of solutions

Afford

able rent

Build-to

-rent

"Try befo

re you buy"

Home ownership

Shared equity

A range of requirements

Generation ZSince 1995

Generation Y1981 – 1995

Baby Boomers1945 – 1960

Generation X1961 – 1980

MaturistPre 1945

Equity re

lease

Retirement

Market rent

Student le

ts

Shared ownership

Staircasing

Supported housing

Custom-b

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There are three sets of principles working together behind the proposals for Gilston Park Estate:• The Gilston Area Vision and Development

Objectives, set out in the Gilston Area Concept Framework, produced in consultation with residents and stakeholders

• The Garden Town Principles set out Government’s overarching approach to this new wave of Garden Communities

• The Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Principles for Healthy Growth and the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Vision translate these ideas to a local context.

Harlow and Gilston vision and principlesThe Gilston Area Concept Framework has been produced to support Policy GA1 of the East Herts District Plan. It establishes key placemaking principles for the development that will be used to inform future masterplanning and planning decisions.

Places for People and City and Provincial Properties worked together to prepare the Framework. Workshops and collaborative sessions were held to develop the Concept Framework with relevant officers and members from East Herts District and Harlow Councils, Essex and Hertfordshire County Councils, local parishes and other stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the proposals for the Gilston Area in the form of a Site Allocation, aiding the production and agreement of the document.

The Concept Framework contains the following vision:

The Gilston Area Shall Provide for 10,000 homes across 7 distinct Villages, each based On Garden City Principles, as follows:• strong vision, leadership and community

engagement;

• land value capture to deliver the essential social and physical infrastructure for the benefit of the community;

• long-term community ownership of land and stewardship of assets;

• mixed-tenure homes and housing types including those that are genuinely affordable;

• a wide range of local jobs within easy commuting distance of homes;

• beautifully and imaginatively designed homes with access to open space, combining the best of town and country to create healthy communities, and including opportunities to grow food;

• development that enhances the natural environment, providing a comprehensive green infrastructure network and net biodiversity gains, and that uses energy-positive technology to ensure climate resilience;

• strong cultural, recreational and shopping facilities in walkable, vibrant, sociable communities; and

• integrated and accessible transport systems, with walking, cycling and public transport designed to be the most attractive forms of local transport.

These principles are very important to the existing community to ensure that the hard work put in during engagement, design and planning is carried forward over the 20-year construction period (and beyond) and that there is accountability and measures in place for anything that doesn’t go according to plan. They all relate in some way to the inclusive growth and the pillars of sustainability.

These commitments apply to all 10,000 homes on both Places for People’s land and the Briggens Estate.

Places for People has been influenced by these ‘Garden City’ values of equality, good health, quality of life, a sense of community and access to employment, facilities and the countryside. These sit at the heart of the proposals.

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Harlow and Gilston

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The heart of the LSCC UK Innovation Corridor

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Using technology in

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Placemaking and Homes

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a strong vision, leadership and community engagement

long-term community ownership of land and stewardship of assets

beautifully and imaginatively designed homes with access to open space, combining the best of town and country to create healthy communities, and including opportunities to grow food.

land value capture to deliver the essential social and physical infrastructure for the bene�t of the

community

mixed-tenure homes and housing types including those that are genuinely a�ordable

a wide range of local jobs within easy commuting distance of homes

strong cultural, recreational and shopping facilities in walkable, vibrant, sociable communities.

development that enhances the natural environment, providing a comprehensive green infrastructure network and net biodiversity food gains, and that uses energy-positive technology to ensure climate resilience.

integrated and accessible transport systems, with walking, cycling and public transport designed to be

the most attractive forms of local transport.

The Gilston Area will have: The Gilston Area will have:

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The Gilston Area will have:

Figure 2: Garden town vision with Gilston area vision and principles


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Places for People is committed to delivering the development at Gilston and retaining a stake in the site and its community in the long term. As set out in this Strategy, wherever possible the planning, design, implementation and management of the development will be aimed at inclusive growth that does not benefit a few people at the expense of many others.

Homes for all Places for People will provide a unique and innovative approach to tenure, management and construction. This will enable a wide spectrum of affordable products to be offered, meeting the needs of residents at all stages in their housing career.

Places for People will provide models of housing and care that meet the challenges of supporting older people in the 21st century.

The economy and regenerationPlaces for People will help support the area’s economic growth over the coming decades by developing skills, including life-long learning, within the local community by working in partnership with local schools and other providers and delivering a Construction Skills Centre.

Places for People will be at the forefront of innovation in housing construction and will seek opportunities to

use its knowledge and investment to develop the UK skills base and supply chain to the benefit of the whole economy.

Gilston Park Estate will support the growth of Harlow’s Enterprise Zone, which is creating modern business space for businesses in the ICT, Advanced Manufacturing and Life Science sectors that will ultimately employ 5,000 workers. The walking and cycling routes and rapid public transport facilities provided within Gilston Park Estate will ensure that residents can access these jobs by accessible means.

Places for People will support local firms to tender for opportunities, including allowing partnerships to access works packages – so small firms can still benefit.

Building a great placePlaces for People will implement the Placemaking Strategy, including a series of placemaking principles, the constituent parts of will collectively create a successful new place. The first Phase of development (which will focus on Village One) will set the tone for the quality of development, provide essential facilities and shared spaces to build the foundations of the community, providing essential services to the earliest residents.

Places for People will have a large amount of control over the shops and services that move here, including

3 Core strategy for inclusive growth

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by supporting tenants in early years. Occupiers will be curated to animate streets and encourage community interaction.

It has been agreed between Places for People and East Herts District Council that governance arrangements need to be secured at the time of planning permission and implemented from the outset of the development. They will need to ensure that both current and future residents can shape and influence the development and that long-term arrangements are put in place for the stewardship of assets on the site.

Places for People will explore innovative solutions and partnerships to support healthcare and heathy lifestyles at Gilston Park Estate.

Places for People will implement The Gilston Park Estate Digital Vision, which will be underpinned by first class digital connectivity and it will work with partners in education and community to support digital literacy.


146 Harlow, Epping Forest, Uttlesford, Broxbourne, East Hertfordshire, Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire

The scale of needEast Hertfordshire is a desirable place to live. With a good quality of life, good schools and excellent economic links to London and the M11 Sub-region6, homes here are in high demand. But the housing market is not functioning.

The price of housing is beyond the reach of many households – even to rent. High house prices put pressure on both the economic and social sustainability of a community – leading to tighter labour markets or increased commuting. This deters inward investment, exacerbates the challenges of an ageing population and leads to the outmigration of a young, skilled population.

Affordability here is significantly worse than in the 2000s. Prices have risen faster than elsewhere in the UK. The ratio of median house price to median income is over 9:1. A ratio of between 4 and 6 is considered to be affordable.

Ratios are even higher at the lower quartile of the market – the cheapest homes are even further out of reach for the lowest earners. The ratio of lower quartile house price to lower quartile income is over 10:1; more than double what would be affordable to the lower quartile earning household.

The trend over the last 15 years clearly shows that homes are becoming less and less affordable compared to wages in East Herts and the surrounding districts.

4 Homes for All

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2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

House price affordabilityratio of median house price to median income

HarlowUttlesfordEast HertsEpping Forest

Affordable

Figure 3: House price affordabilityratio of median house prices to median income

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The income required to afford the average private rented property is £40,0007 and half of the districts’ residents earn less than this. 62% of households are not eligible for affordable or social rented homes and cannot afford to buy in the district8.

This leaves many households with very limited housing options – which means that young working families in particular may need to move away or are deterred from moving here. Growth in these circumstances is not inclusive – not everyone locally is able to benefit from prosperity.

Whilst the young need to move away, older people make up a growing proportion of the housing market. Over the next 20 years there will be 69% growth in people aged 70+ - with 32,000 over 70s projected to live in the district in 2038.

Without suitable alternatives, older people stay in their under-occupied family homes for longer, keeping them off the market for younger families and keeping prices inflated. In East Hertfordshire, half of all privately-owned homes have two or more spare bedrooms. These homes may no longer meet the needs of ageing residents being expensive to adapt and maintain.

The Council’s District Plan has set a target of delivering 18,458 new homes by 20339.

To deliver its targets East Herts District requires a step change in approach to delivery. This includes working

with the private sector to deliver at a large scale and mobilising resources. The Garden Town Programme offers this opportunity providing strategic support and funding to local authorities to build capacity.

Risks to the future “The labour market constraints are already impacting on the strength of the local economy”

Failure to respond to housing need is putting the strength of this prosperous area at risk. It risks excluding people from the benefits of growth. A constrained housing market reduces the amount of people able to form a labour market and support the economy. The M11 sub-region is an established area for British and international investment. The area’s real challenge for continued growth and productivity is securing investment in new homes and infrastructure. Already there are signs that the labour market is tight. East Hertfordshire, South Cambridgeshire, Uttlesford and Harlow all have economic activity rates that are amongst the highest in the country, at 74 to 76% (compared to 70% across England and Wales10). The East of England’s employment forecasts11 rely on activity rates increasing by a further 2.5 percentage points12 leaving very little spare capacity or flexibility. Harlow, East Herts and Epping Forest are projected to have very low or no growth in their working age populations in the next decade.

7 According to CACI Paycheck Data 20158 See Quod, 2019, Gilston Housing Strategy 9 HPolicy DPS1, 3,244 of which have already been delivered within the plan period

10 ONS, Economic Activity Residents Aged 16-7411 Oxford Economics, 2015, East of England Forecasting Model12 Oxford Economics, 2015, East of England Forecasting Model


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In 2001 it was typical for Cambridge workers to travel up to 30 km for work; now this is 65km13. Tight labour markets drive commuting and costs up and firm responsiveness down. There is a limit to how far this can go before the cost of travel (in time and money) outweighs the benefits of having a better job.

The South East LEP identifies one of the main issues facing the area as the lack of skills within the labour market. The labour market constraints are already having an impact: in 2001, GDP per head in Hertfordshire was 30% higher than the UK average. By 2012 this gap had fallen to 13%14. The skills gap will need to be addressed by attracting and retaining skilled residents – and that will require the right local housing offer. Investment in the types of homes that new workers need and can afford - and in the right locations - is essential.

Tackling the challengeEast Herts District Council recognises these risks and has responded to the challenge by reviewing the Green Belt and allocating the Gilston Area for 10,000 homes.

It has drafted proactive policies in support of delivering the required step change in housing delivery, recognising that, “everyone should be given the opportunity to access a decent home, which they can afford and is in a community where they want to live.”

East Herts District Council has done extensive testing of the most sustainable options for housing delivery through its Local Plan process and has identified the Gilston Area as an essential component of its housing delivery strategy to 2033 and beyond.

On the role of the Gilston Area, Chapter 11 of the Local Plan states that: “Development in this location provides a unique opportunity to deliver a strategic sized sustainable development that will provide for a significant proportion of the District’s housing needs, both within this Plan period and beyond. As such, the Gilston Area is allocated for a total of 10,000 new homes.”

The site is the largest Strategic Allocation in the Local Plan and the largest site within the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town. Places for People will bring forward 8,500 of these homes at Gilston Park Estate. It has the experience to understand, fund and manage a development of this complexity and scale and has been working locally for over ten years to understand local concerns and aspirations.

This site sits in a location of strategic national importance – and is of a scale that can make a nationally significant impact to the economy. It will attract and support inward investment, drive construction innovation and be a trailblazer for new housing delivery and tenure models that help to meet the challenges

13 Cambridge Travel to Work Area – the area within which 75% of commuting occurred (ONS 2011 Census) 14 http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-317145

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of the 21st century. More detail on the site’s strategic position in the UK economy is set out in Section 4 on economy and regeneration.

This dual focus: tackling local need while having a view on the national agenda means that Gilston Park Estate will benefit a broad range of stakeholders. Places for People has set an example for managing multiple and sometimes competing interests to promote the best outcomes for all.

Places for People’s housing offerPlaces for People has an innovative approach to housing tenure. Households no longer fit into two housing types: buying and social renting no longer meet the needs, aspirations or budgets of many UK residents.

Households now need flexibility but also security. They need affordability but also quality and opportunities for progression, creativity and meeting aspirations. They may need care and support but also want independence. Families grow and shrink as circumstances change.

Places for People believes that places work when they work for everyone. That sits at the very heart of its placemaking approach. People should have access to suitable housing that does not put an unsustainable

financial burden on their household and does not limit their ability to manage their health and enjoy physical and mental wellbeing.

Gilston Park Estate is a unique opportunity to create a structured housing market offer; providing opportunities for everyone at different stages of their lives and facing different personal and economic circumstances.

Places for People has talked to many local people and heard first hand their experience of the continued housing shortage in this area. Examples of key local issues include: families forced to move away to a more affordable area; children, and grandchildren, returning to the family home, unable to afford other options; overcrowded homes; unsustainable commuting; “sofa surfing” with no other choice; and older people living alone in homes no longer suitable for them.

Places for People’s ambition is to meet the needs and aspirations of customers whatever stage of life they’re at. In response to these issues Gilston Park Estate will deliver a broad range of housing types and tenures to make sure homes and communities are accessible and genuinely inclusive. This means homes that will be designed to be spacious, flexible and adaptable over time; to meet changing needs of their occupants and of society.


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Gilston Park Estate will be a place that provides for all stages of a person’s housing career and a full housing market offer, including:• Helping young people get a start on the housing

ladder with discounted homes to rent and buy.

• Offering plots for self-builders to create their own home.

• Giving older people with care needs an opportunity to live independently in purpose-built homes for sale and rent with the support they need on hand.

• Other types of specialist housing for vulnerable people with complex needs.

• Providing a full range of good quality rented homes for those that cannot/choose not to buy.

• Financial advice and specialist mortgage products to support people with barriers to conventional financial services.

Each will be designed and built to the same high standards, which are cost effective to run and maintain and embrace new technologies.

Whilst older people are living much healthier and more independent lives, the ageing population still has specific requirements for housing, public realm and service design. Planning Practice Guidance highlights that delivering suitable homes for older people is “critical15”. East Hertfordshire has substantial unmet need for housing options to support health, wellbeing, independence in older residents. This consequences of this are threefold:

• Without suitable alternatives, older people stay in their under-occupied homes for longer, keeping them off the market for younger families and keeping prices inflated. In East Hertfordshire, half of all privately-owned homes have two or more spare bedrooms.

• People are less able to live safely on their own if homes are not or cannot be adapted to changing needs.

• Without specific housing, health and care needs are more reliant on GPs, emergency care and hospital stays. This is more expensive and has less positive outcomes than consistent care and support being provided in the community or at home.

Places for People provides specialist housing for older people to rent or buy. Homes come with care and support ranging from household maintenance and cleaning to nursing and healthcare. Services and support can be stepped up or stepped down at different times for residents’ changing needs. Places for People prioritises independence, empowerment and quality of life in the design of all its services for older or vulnerable residents.

Full details of the housing offer are set out in the Gilston Park Estate Housing Strategy.

A balanced, diverse community is more sustainable economically and socially. A community which can accommodate people with a wide range of incomes, working practices and housing needs will help to support a mix of young and old and a range of skill levels and occupations.

15 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Planning Practice Guidance, Paragraph: 021 Reference ID: 2a-021-20160401

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Harlow needs a more diverse housing offer to supports its regeneration and growth – and Gilston Park Estate will offer suitable housing options for Harlow workers who currently commute in from elsewhere.

Residents can stay in the same neighbourhood through their different life stages if they chose. Employers can see a good local housing offer for all their workers, from entry level to skilled and managerial positions.

Historically, this has not been the case in Harlow, where there is very little variety in the housing on offer. Whilst homes are generally more affordable in Harlow than its neighbours, the quality and type of homes mean that many people who work in the town, especially in higher wage jobs, commute in from elsewhere and Harlow residents are not included in the prosperity – and businesses lose out on wage spending.

East Hertfordshire also suffers from a lack of diversity in the market, especially affordable homes for young families and good options for older people to downsize.

Gilston Park Estate provides an opportunity to address both the backlog of affordable housing need in East Hertfordshire and deliver housing to support Harlow’s growth.

Given its scale, Gilston Park Estate is a real opportunity to provide a unique housing proposal with innovative ways to meet needs of residents at all stages in their housing career.

Delivering HomesGovernment has committed to building 300,000 homes per year by the mid-2020s. This will not be easy to achieve and large-scale shovel-ready developments are needed to build momentum.

Places for People is willing and able to start construction as soon as planning requirements have been met and to retain a master developer role in the development to see out its delivery. Individual plots may be brought forward by other developers or housebuilders but Places for People will be at Gilston Park Estate for the long term with no intention of selling the planning consent on for a profit.

This will ensure that at least 3,000 homes will be delivered on-site within the Plan period, which is the target set. But planning and funding is in place to deliver faster with benefits realised sooner. It also means that the commitments to infrastructure and services will be honoured.

The impacts of housing delivery on this scale are expected to be felt in both East Hertfordshire and Harlow, helping both housing markets to provide a more diverse, flexible and affordable housing offer to support economic growth and wellbeing.

“We need to build places people are happy to call home”


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As highlighted above, Gilston Park Estate holds a position of strategic importance in the economic geography of the UK. Places for People has a national reach and has engaged with economic stakeholders at all levels. They recognise the importance of housing to the strength of the economy and want Gilston Park Estate to improve the economic prospects of Harlow and its residents in order to grow the whole sub-region. Government has created a model to establish the impact on the economy of new housing – and for the Gilston Area, that is over £900 million in gross economic benefits16. This valuation approach reflects the ability of homes to be a catalyst for regeneration and growth.

The heart of the UK innovation corridorStrategic Location Gilston Park Estate will attract an estimated 13,000 working age people who could work in the Enterprise Zone, business parks and growth areas of Harlow and the M11 Sub-region.

Gilston Park Estate lies in the middle of one of the most important economic sub-regions in the UK. Cambridge to the north and London to the south are cities with high skills, productivity and wages, but both face constraints with high and rising costs of housing and workers.

Government policy has a clear objective to move the economy towards high-tech manufacturing and new industries, including new creative, technological and green sectors. In doing so, government seeks to boost both productivity and growth, and to encourage start-ups and business expansion. The result is that the sub-region has a large number of highly productive and globally competitive businesses. It has a high-skilled workforce that supports a range of high-tech industries, including ICT, digital media, life sciences and bio-tech. This means productivity is significantly higher here than in other parts of the country. The area is a valuable asset for the UK’s future as a ‘trading nation’ and should be at the forefront of growth driven by international competitiveness, exposure to new technologies and development of new specialisms.

As well as home-grown businesses, the M11 sub-region is very successful at attracting foreign investment. London and Cambridge are ranked first and fourth in the FDi Intelligence “Top European Cities of the Future”17. Hertfordshire LEP has seen a 61% increase in inward investment decisions since 2012/1318. Stansted Airport is a key component of the M11 sub-region’s international links and growth potential. It is one of the fastest growing airports in the EU, adding an additional 300,000 passenger movements per year between 2015 and 2018.

5 Economy and regeneration

16 MHCLG, 2017, Housing Infrastructure Fund - Economic Case ‘Ready Reckoner’ 17 FDi Intelligence (2014)18 Hertfordshire LEP, Quarterly Economic Update, Q4 2013/14

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2 of the Top 10 European Cities of the Future*

*London and Cambridge ‐ Financial Times Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Intelligence Report 2018/19

Figure 4: The UK innovation corridor

“If cities genuinely aspire to attract the high value tech businesses of the future, they need to think very carefully about what kind of places these young creative-tech people want to live in and make sure they develop their localities accordingly”


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Stansted is a gateway to London and the South of England for both goods and people. It is a major airport for imports and exports. In terms of air cargo tonnage, Stansted is the third most important airport in the UK, handling in excess of £12bn in trade value annually19. It provides a base for the world’s major international freight carriers including FedEx, UPS, and TNT.

Air freight is particularly important for small, high value products which are important for the region: the East of England exported £25bn of goods in 2014 with a positive balance of trade of £400m20. It is one of the best connected airports in the UK for short haul European flights. This connectivity makes the region attractive to European Headquarters.

The connectivity, the existing science base and the high value nature of the associated business clusters developing here means that the economic returns on investment here will be larger than anywhere else. The productivity of each employee in the M11 South in 2031 is expected to be significantly higher than it is now. There is no better place to deliver on the Government’s objectives than in the M11 sub-region.

Increasing productivity is an enduring challenge – and a policy priority – for government. Government focus is on areas with high levels of productivity, “which should be able to capitalise on their performance and potential”21.

The 2017 Budget identified science and innovation as core drivers of economic growth as part the UK’s Industrial Strategy22. The Industrial Strategy sets out detailed plans for directing investment at the UK’s world-class science and research base. The M11 sub-region is perfectly placed to deliver this.

The western side of the M11 and East Coast Mainline contains the highest economically performing areas in the country. Harlow, Epping Forest and Uttlesford, however, are lagging behind and not making the most of their location and connectivity.

Recognising this opportunity, the Harlow Enterprise Zone was established providing over 50 ha of development opportunity. Across the Enterprise Zone the Council has set up three Local Development Orders (LDOs) which provide planning permissions for certain development within a defined area, subject to certain conditions. This helps to drive development and reduce delays in delivery.

Two of the LDOs specify the preferred sectors for development including medical technologies, advanced manufacturing and information communication technology (ICT) working to promote Harlow within the science, technology and medical sectors. Harlow Science Park is designated as an Enterprise Zone and will provide affordable space for start up businesses, research and development facilities and access to a wide industry network. Anglia Ruskin

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19 Manchester Airports Group, London Stansted Cargo, online: https://www.magairports.com/our-expertise/cargo-services/london-stansted-cargo/ accessed 22 October 2018 20 ibid21 MHDCLG, 2018, National Planning Policy Framework para. 8022 HM Government, 2017, Industrial Strategy: Building a Britain Fit for the Future

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University has chosen to locate one of the three proposed Med Tech Business Innovation Centre at Harlow Science Park providing one of the largest health innovations spaces in the UK. A future neighbour to the Med Tech Business Innovation Centre, Public Health England (PHE) has announced plans to relocate to the vacant Glaxo Smith Kline Site. This will be a £350million investment moving all of its London and HQ operations and 2,700 jobs to Harlow. The new campus for public health expected to become fully operational in 202423.

This investment sets Harlow apart as an emerging leader in the science and medical sector.

Information communication technology is also booming with the first of four data centres completed at Kao Park within the Kao Data Campus. Once completed the data centres will support a range of businesses across the region in particular life sciences.

Two further tenants have taken up space in Kao Park including Arrow Electronics, specialising in distribution and value added services relating to electronic and computer products, and Raytheon UK, a technology and innovation leader.

There are very few places, either in the UK or in the EU, that can match this level of economic performance and potential.

The region is “A major contributor to the UK economy, with pockets of deprivation and so much more to give24.” Housing is one of the most important strategic constraints.

Meeting the sub-region’s needsThe Hertfordshire LEP has identified “accelerating delivery of housing sites” as one of its top priorities and a game changer for the Hertfordshire economy. Housing investment is a foundation for long term growth25.

Of the five key risks to growth identified in the 2016 report of the LSCC’s Growth Commission26, of which there are three related to the local labour market and housing pressures, and a fourth related to local inequality: • Deteriorating location offer; failure to develop high

quality business and residential locations.

• Labour market shortages skills supply at risk.

• Housing pressures, reducing available talent pool and location desirability.

• Polarisation of workforce & increased inequality.

• Growth in London, exerting additional housing pressures.

Supporting a vibrant economy is not just about delivering housing numbers – it is also about quality, affordability and place. The modern employer is less tied to a specific town. Tech now enables firms and workers to be footloose. The availability of a good supply of skilled labour, and affordable places for them to live, are now much more important than other location factors. Lifestyle, connectivity and quality are key to attracting business investment, especially in the tech sector.

Cambridge, for example, is highly skilled, accessible, attractive and draws many high-value companies and individuals to it. But high house prices are acting against it27.

23 HM Government (July 2017). ‘Press Release: Public Health England buys the GSK site at Harlow’ [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-health-england-buys-the-gsk-site-at-harlow

24 SE LEP ##’#

25 Hertfordshire LEP, 2014, Perfectly Placed for Business: Strategic Economic Plan p. 1126 LSCC Growth Commission, 2016. Findings and recommendations of the LSCC. 27 Cambridge and Peterborough Independent Economic Review Interim Report, May 2018


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Footloose workers have a national and global reach of possibilities to move if the city no longer meets their needs. As the UK exits the EU, this threat becomes keen. If Cambridge becomes less successful, this is a bad sign for the UK economy.

The solution is to allow the wider area - especially areas with good train links between London and Cambridge (Harlow Town Station is linked by a direct train to Cambridge taking less than an hour) – to strengthen both their employment and housing offer and allow these settlements to really work together for their joint benefit. Currently the sub-region isn’t living up to this opportunity and doesn’t have enough of the right skills to really drive growth. Both London and Cambridge have exceptionally well-qualified workforces, with over 40% of residents being qualified to degree level. The national average is just 27%. For the Districts around Gilston Park Estate, the picture is mixed.

At primary and secondary level, a high proportion of pupils are attending outstanding and good schools. Based on most recent Ofsted reports28 (at 31 March 2018), 28 of the 31 primary schools within Harlow are reported to be ‘good’. At secondary level, five of the six schools are reported to be ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’.

These results are an improvement on previous Ofsted reports which reported only ten primary and two secondary schools as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. This illustrates a clear push to improving schools across the district supporting learning and training among the younger population.

Among working age residents (16 and over) the qualification attainment is low when compared to the county. However, comparing data from the 2001 and 2011 census these rates are improving. In 2001 12% of residents were gaining higher education qualifications compared to 16% across Essex. This has increased to 18% in 2011 compared to 23% across Essex. The proportion of residents with no qualifications across Harlow has decreased from 32% in 2001 to 26% in 2011.

In summary, the sub-region’s economy needs: • Houses of the type to attract and maintain skilled

workers to supply the labour market. • Affordable homes that ensure young people can

stay in the area.• Skills and training to make this labour market

productive and ensure growth is inclusive.• The delivery of housing was dealt with in detail in

the previous section of this Report. The scale and skills of the labour market are dealt with below.

28 Ofsted (June 2018). ‘State funded schools inspections and outcomes as at 31 March 2018’

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Labour Market Gilston Park Estate will be home to an estimated 13,000 working age people. The homes will be modern and tech enabled and will be well connected for cycling, walking, public transport and airports. This is the type of place that will attract the workers the region needs. More detail on the type of place that will be established is set out in the Placemaking Strategy.

Gilston Park Estate will be a catalyst for jobs, skills and training Continuing to educate and train local residents will help address the skills gap and providing new homes will bring in skilled working age people and help retain those who grew up locally. The scale of Gilston Park Estate will mean that its delivery will support a wide range of jobs and career opportunities – professional and technical skills involved in planning and design; a wide range of construction and engineering positions; and sales, lettings and management jobs for completed homes and buildings. These jobs will be sustained over 20 years or more. The development will create an estimated 18,000 person years of construction employment.

Permanent jobs will be created on-site in health, education and leisure services as well as in the retail and office floorspace in village centres. The site is expected to support up to 1,500 permanent jobs in the long term.

The development will allow Places for People to leverage funds and professional support for existing employment and training initiatives. Places for People has been working with Passmores Academy in Harlow since 2015 to help them expand and improve

their vocational skills offer. Construction courses in particular are expected to be closely linked to the opportunities on-site. Opportunities for health and social care related courses have great potential to be linked with new healthcare and supported housing facilities and services on-site and Places for People will act as a broker for partnerships wherever possible.

Places for People is also engaged with Harlow College, which provides much of the post-16 education for Harlow and the surrounding communities, including in construction. It is working with the college to understand how best existing and future students can benefit from the jobs and opportunities at Gilston Park Estate and how the development can be a catalyst for attracting and inspiring students and delivering new courses and facilities. Places for People is already supporting the Ministry of Building Innovation and Education Courses that started at Harlow College in 2018 (more detail on this programme is set out on the next page). Places for People’s ambition is for a state-of-the-art construction skills facility to be linked to Gilston Park Estate as part of either an existing college or school or at a new local site.

Places for People recognises that building a resilient, skilled community does not just require training for school leavers and young people. Inspirational opportunities to learn – either for enjoyment, personal growth or for a career – should be able to form part of everyone’s life, from childhood into old age. It already engages with school children and families across the country on skills, career development, health and wellbeing.

In the Education Delivery Strategy, Places for People has committed to promoting the use of school buildings and facilities as shared resources, used by the


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community wherever possible. Schools will pursue best practice in community access and life-long learning e.g. providing adult education courses. Places for People is particularly keen to ensure that technological advancement does not exclude people from the workforce or from accessing services, so digital skills training will be promoted either on-site or through local partners. Places for People has a wealth of relevant experience. In 2017-18 they directly supported 675 people into employment, 1,494 into training or learning, and involved over 4,500 young people in community activities, as well as employing more than 900 apprentices across the Group.

Construction skills and innovation The construction sector is a nationally significant employer – accounting for 1 in 20 of all jobs in the Great Britain. The sector has important links to other industries through the supply chain and influences how quickly, efficiently and affordably we can build new homes.

The way we create buildings has not changed in 40 years, and construction has not seen the same increases in productivity as other industries. Over the past 25 years, productivity across the whole economy has grown by 41% as new technology and new ways of working make business and industry more efficient and effective. In construction, it has grown by just 11% – almost four times slower. The sector is also facing a skills crisis due to an ageing workforce29.

Places for People continues to be at the forefront of construction innovation and are one of just a few major developers progressing custom-build, self-build and modular homes. It is committed to using the scale and

longevity of the Gilston Park Estate development to drive forward innovation in construction, training and skills development for the 21st century.

A key limitation to construction invovation in the UK is skills. It has already invested in skills building, policy influence and prototype testing for off-site, innovative construction methods that have the potential to dramatically increase build-speed, and reduce construction impacts, cost and material waste.

On-site and off-site, there will be an estimated 18,000 years of construction employment created, with apprenticeships and training opportunities across a huge range of disciplines, over more than two decades. The Gilston Park Estate is an excellent opportunity to deliver a skills hub in Harlow as part of the MOBIE initiative (see pullout box), with 20 years of construction to bed-in new skills for Harlow and East Hertfordshire residents.

Places for People has already kickstarted this, by supporting Harlow College in delivering pioneering new housing design courses. Harlow College is one of three Higher Education centres nationally that is delivering the MOBIE Future Home Design and Construction course. Launched in September 2018, this 1-2 year Higher National Certificate/Higher National Diploma course covers modules such as:• Construction Practice and Management

• Building Information Modelling

• Housing Design & Specification

• Principles of Alternative Energy

• Principles of Off-site Construction

• Principles of Housing Economics.

29 Innovate UK, 26 March 2018, Manufacturing better buildings: apply for funding https://www.gov.uk/government/news/manufacturing-better-buildings-apply-for-funding

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Gilston Park Estate will be a base for entrepreneurs The development will provide spaces for local business to grow with excellent transport access and modern, high quality village centres alongside local services, pubs and recreation opportunities.

Harlow already has a thriving employment base – and strong ambitions for growth. Gilston Park Estate is not expected to have large scale employment uses on-site because they are already planned elsewhere. There is strong policy support for significant employment growth (The Harlow Enterprise Zone, Stansted Airport, Cambridge). Gilston Park Estate will be complementary to – and not compete with – the visions for the Enterprise Zones and the Town Centre. Strategic employment needs will be met outside of the development – with public transport, walking and cycling routes creating sustainable links. But Places for People recognises that smaller, flexible and creatively delivered employment spaces also form part of a sustainable and dynamic local economy – and link closely to the ambition for inclusive growth. The county has identified a need for space to support home working and start-ups and provide move-on space for local SMEs as they grow.

The villages will accommodate small scale local employment space that supports small and medium sized firms. The precise form of the employment space is to be determined at the Village Masterplan and Reserved Matter Application stages, however, Places for People has committed to provide the following, as set out in the Placemaking Strategy:• Relocation premises for the existing businesses

located in the Eastwick Trading Estate (subject to commercial agreement)

MOBIE is the Ministry of Building Innovation and Education. It has three core aims:

Inspire young people: Contribute to overhauling the image of the construction industry.

Address identified skills gap: Grow a talented workforce of innovators and pioneers in technical design and architecture.

Deliver innovative and pioneering home design in the UK: Using techniques that reflect the transformation towards digital technology and offsite construction manufacturing (OSM).

“MOBIE’s sole purpose is to focus on the creation of beautiful homes. Spearheading advanced home design and innovative construction thinking, the enterprise will work with both the industry and government to create homes that will genuinely transform the way we live in Britain.“There’s a need for exciting innovation, opportunities to push the boundaries of what we build and how we build that will attract bright new minds into the industry. MOBIE will thrive on training, retraining, making, challenging the norm, building and creating pioneering twenty-first century homes that improve the way people live.” George Clarke (architect, head of MOBIE)

Places for People was the founding supporter of MOBIE. MOBIE and Places for People are already working with Harlow College to roll out its Pearson accredited apprenticeships to ensure young people in the area can benefit from the employment opportunities.


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• Deliver 4,000sqm of flexible employment space to act as a hub for local employment activities. This may include affordable co-working space similar to Launchpad in Bishops Stortford;

• Office floorspace of 3,000sqm across Village 2 comprising a range of sizes;

• Studio space of 1,500sqm in Village 4 to support local artists and cultural/art functions;

• Following the completion of the above and occupation of 3,000 homes within Gilston Park Estate, undertake a need assessment to establish the demand for further employment floorspace within the development up to 5,000sqm to be delivered within the site.

An estimated 40% of full-time workers in the UK have some form of flexibility about their working hours, meaning they can work remotely on some days of the week or for parts of the day 21. Legally, anyone who has worked for an employer in the UK for a minimum of 26 weeks has the right to ask to work flexibly — a term that includes homeworking, part-time working, flexitime and job-sharing30.

According to research by Timewise and Deloitte, companies that have focused on giving their employees greater flexibility in how, when and where they work have capitalised on attracting and keeping the best people. Flexible working is now the preferred way of working for a large proportion of both men and women across generations31.

In order for self-employment, home and flexible working to be a practical and productive choice for residents, Gilston Park Estate will provide superfast broadband to all homes and could provide a range of small scale co-working and flexible/shared office

space; affordable conferencing and meeting room hire and facilities providing printing and business services.

For these types of spaces to work, their location, lease terms, quality and management approach are much more important than the total floorspace. Places for People will work with partners to understand local needs and explore creative ways to support local enterprise including:• Meanwhile and pop-up uses on short and flexible

terms

• Monitoring success, taking on board feedback building in lessons learned

• Partnering with specialist providers

• Tailored commercial terms, where needed, to ensure we have the right mix of uses including business start-ups

• A range of business support to ensure early provision of facilities and continued vibrancy

• Move on strategies within development to retain successful firms

Small scale employment and worker space at Gilston Park Estate will incorporate these considerations, be located in the village centres and will help to drive footfall and animation during the day.

For the existing residents of the villages, access to improved internet connections will be invaluable benefit of development. Places for People commits to working with providers to improve broadband access for these residents.

30 Financial Times, June 28 2018, Flexible working: here’s what employees want. Accessed 22.11.18 31 Timewise/Deloitte, 2018. A Manifesto for Change: a Modern Workplace for a Flexible Workforce. Accessed 22.11.18

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A vibrant and resilient Harlow town centreWhen Harlow New Town was created it provided urgently needed homes and jobs. Harlow’s original planners were concerned that the town should reach and maintain a size that ensured the town was balanced and sustainable demographically and ensured the continued viability of and investment into local services (Gibberd et al 1980). However, the Green Belt has constrained Harlow meaning it has not been able to grow and diversify its housing offer to support its employment and economic aspirations.

The population of Harlow was intended to stabilise at 80,000 people. The social, economic and community requirements for a town of this size were delivered accordingly. However, Harlow’s population was only 73,000 in 1994 and only reached 80,000 in 2011. In the meantime, jobs declined significantly as did investment in the town’s infrastructure.

The long-term levelling out of both the town’s population and jobs growth (over a 40-year period) coincides with the emergence of a wide range of socioeconomic and physical issues now affecting Harlow (NLP, 2013).

And as with many new towns, when all of the infrastructure was delivered in a comparatively short period, it starts to fail at the same time. The roads, healthcare, rail and facilities all need investment.

Harlow has not achieved the scale it needs to sustain the kind of infrastructure, economy or town centre from which many of its comparator towns benefit (NLP, 2013). Economic performance has been constrained as a result. It has all of the ingredients for sustainable economic

Interim and Meanwhile uses

Meanwhile uses offer the opportunity to support start-up business and community services in a new development. They can be flexible, quick and agile, responding to community needs as they arise (or reduce) at a comparatively low capital and start-up cost.

They can make use of empty sites awaiting development or can be mobile at different times of the week, year or over the course of construction. Their flexibility and relatively low cost mean they are excellent opportunities for new business ideas to be tested – and can form a spring board for permanent uses when development is complete.

Places for People will introduce meanwhile uses where these will help enliven the streetscapes, make use of vacant plots before they come forward and provide facilities that will bring the community together – such as a café or workspace – in the early years of development.

For meanwhile uses to be effective, they may need support on meeting their regulatory requirements including any planning permissions, licences and rates payments that will need to made. Places for People will provide a package of support to help new pop-ups to understand and meet these requirements where needed.


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growth and prosperity and is showing signs of economic resilience, which Gilston Park Estate will support. Over the last ten years to 2008 the unemployment rate in Harlow has dropped significantly. According to the Annual Population Survey (APS) from October 2007 to September 2008 8.1% residents were unemployed compared to 4.8% in September 2018. Unemployment rose dramatically during the recession, but has fallen to just above the national average.

Harlow is also reviving its industrial past and is an emerging leader in the science and medical sector. At primary and secondary level, a high proportion of pupils are attending outstanding and good schools. These are good foundations but currently not all local people benefit from Harlow’s strengths. Residents in Harlow earn, on average, £3,000 per year less than people who commute in and leave at the end of the day. This money is not spent in local shops and services in town, commuting generates congestion, and residents are not fully benefitting from Harlow’s economic opportunities.

People who get jobs in Harlow’s higher earning growth industries often chose not to live in the town due to the limited housing offer. Harlow needs investment into homes, local skills and the quality of life that will ensure that new jobs have the maximum local benefit and realise the original potential of the New Town. It will also help break the cycle of in and out commuting that contributes to the severe congestion.

Gilston Park Estate can play a major role in achieving this. Where new residents will use services beyond the Gilston Area – such as theatres, shops and leisure facilities in Harlow - these are expected to benefit from the extra footfall and spend supporting a breadth and quality of offer. £125million of household spending will be injected into the local economy every year from the completed development.

Places for People is committed to including Harlow residents in the benefits of growth by:• Investing £20 million of its own resources to seed a

Harlow Investment Fund and will work with private and public sector investors to leverage the fund and put it to effective use in transforming the town;

Figure 7: Unemployment rateaged 16 and over annually covering October to September. ILO definition

Figure 8: WagesAnnual Survey of hours and earnings 2017

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• Working with the Town Centre Action Group which is key to changing perceptions of Harlow;

• Taking a comprehensive approach to skills and training, including construction training;

• Working with existing schools to deliver curriculum support and help raise educational attainment; and;

• Helping deliver a new vocational training centre at one of Harlow’s schools to deliver construction training to 14 to 19 year olds; and;

• Providing destination and landmark open spaces and walking trails that will be multi-functional public spaces a wide range of recreation, leisure and cultural opportunities for residents beyond Gilston Park Estate.

The right timing Places for People is an active and engaged developer. They want to deliver homes. But they want to support residents and businesses wherever possible to tackle economic challenges, such as skills gaps, and promote communication and partnership across sectors so that investment really works for the UK economy.

The time is right for investment: the sub-region is home to three Local Enterprise Partnerships and two Enterprise Zones and soon to be home to Public Health England. This is a pivotal point for the area – although investment has been made in the Enterprise Zone, for the full benefits of this to be achieved, housing growth and Harlow’s regeneration are key. If the timing is right, the Gilston Park Estate could have newly occupied homes by 2022.


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Gilston Park Estate is about delivering homes the country needs but also about responding to the context to create community that people are happy to call home32.

This is a place that will take many years to deliver. The frameworks that Places for People puts in place now must give certainty of delivery with a clear vision – but also provide flexibility to adapt to the changing context of technology, transport and housing needs so that future residents can make the most of their opportunities.

This section reviews the commitments of Places for People to build a great place, by:• Providing all essential community facilities on-

site, which supports placemaking and sustainable travel. it provides local jobs and will ensure no residents in the community will be isolated.

• Establishing governance arrangements that will empower people to make the most of their community assets and have a say in how they are run.

• Delivering a healthy place where people are supported to make healthy choices and where the design, layout and management of buildings supports their wellbeing.

• Ensuring technology improves access to services and jobs and supports education and wellbeing, rather than excluding residents.

All essential facilities on-site, at the right timeGilston Park Estate will have all essential neighbourhood facilities on-site. Places for People has considered road infrastructure; utilities; water, drainage and flood management; green space; and schools, healthcare and other services that the development will need to be sustainable and to thrive. Phase One of development (which will focus on Village One) will set the tone for quality of development, provide essential facilities and shared spaces to build the foundations of the community, providing essential services to the earliest residents. This will include schools, community space, healthcare provision, open and playspace and a mixture of temporary (pop-up/meanwhile) and permanent shops, cafes, markets, meeting spaces and workspaces that provide a shared resource, animating the new streets and bringing people together. It will be served by new transport links to Harlow. Phase One will include space for the existing businesses from the Eastwick Lodge Business Park to relocate. Phase One will include both primary and secondary school provision. Schools will be the heart, providing a space to meet and work together for new residents. Places for People wants the schools to be high quality spaces that support an outstanding education but also community assets for people of all ages. It has helped deliver schools before and knows the value that they can bring to a new community. A new local school establishes a culture of sustainable school travel from the earliest stages and provides a built asset that can

6 Building a great place

32 MHDCLG, 2018. Garden Communities, p.4

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be used for a wide range of uses beyond lessons, from community meetings and parties to adult learning classes. Early delivery is of paramount importance. More detail on the vision and approach for the schools is set out in the Gilston Park Estate Education Delivery Strategy.

All necessary infrastructure will be closely tied to the delivery of housing to ensure it is in place when it is

needed. Monitoring frameworks and legal contracts will be in place to ensure that new homes are not occupied before they have access to facilities and services residents need. Village 7 is reliant on Gilston Park Estate for essential infrastructure, including secondary school provision, and so its delivery will also be closely monitored and obligations and commitments will need to be aligned.

The importance of early infrastructure delivery: Brooklands, Milton Keynes

A 360 acre site located on the east of Milton Keynes is being developed over a 15-year period to create over 2,500 mixed–tenure homes, along with supporting infrastructure and a range of other facilities.Places for People has put a lot of investment into placemaking upfront. It has planted more than 30,000 trees and created ponds to enhance the brooks, open spaces, woodlands and wildlife areas.Brooklands Farm School (Fen Street Campus) was delivered by Milton Keynes Local Authority in partnership with Places for People (and designed

and delivered by Volker Fitzpatrick, Robinson Architects and Rivington Street Studio). It opened as a 2FE primary school, but has since been extended to 3FE.In this case with the agreement of the Authority, Places for People accelerated the funding in advance of that required by the Section 106 agreement to ensure that instead of being provided by the 1,500th home, the school was in place on occupation to welcome the the first families moving into the development.Activities and services for new residents and families in the earliest stages of development included a mobile library and café (which operated outside the school) and an active Mums n Tots group, Martial Arts and SureStart sessions.


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The Approved parameters of the Outline Planning Application will allow for flexibility and adaptability. Some decisions about the development – such as the exact uses of the floorspace in the village centres and how some of the community spaces will be used – can be made further down the line (for more detail about the planning approach, see the Planning Statement). Services will be able to adapt to changing needs and community views at the time. The 21st century will see significant changes in how spaces are used and what resources communities need and value. The parameters do not limit the possibilities for innovation and creativity to influence how homes and village centres come forward.

Gilston Park Estate will benefit substantially from its scale. Smaller developments often cannot sustain – or afford to deliver – extensive new services and infrastructure in their own right. But by carefully planning for services on-site, and having the scale, viability and commitment to deliver these, Gilston Park Estate will be able to manage its effects and build community spirit. Planning sustainable village centres for a new settlement is a challenge. The earliest residents need to feel that their new home is in a welcoming neighbourhood, with easy access to a corner shop and space to meet new neighbours. But without careful planning and support shops may struggle to be sustainable in the early years. Places for People has put a lot of thought into this and believes that there are several inherent strengths of their approach at Gilston Park Estate. The intended approach is explained in the Placemaking Strategy which sets out a plan to deliver Places for People’s

vision for Gilston Park Estate and explains how, through a series of placemaking principles, the constituent parts will collectively create a successful new place.

The village concept of Gilston Park Estate seeks to extract the key features and characteristics that embody a successful village and apply them in a modern context, incorporating the necessary future proofing that will enable the villages to evolve in response to technological changes and innovation.

Village life within the Gilston Park Estate will embody a range of inter-related activities. There will be a range of housing types and tenures and a mix of services and facilities to meet households day to day needs. Places for People can help create local employment opportunities including the promotion of workspaces for small and medium sized businesses whilst still ensuring easy access to the countryside offering a range of recreation and leisure activities. The Development will provide a range of community facilities including school places for every child, and attractive public realm and architecture that fosters a strong sense of pride and ownership.

Gilston Park Estate provides the ingredients necessary to create a thriving new community. However, delivering successful neighbourhoods is about much more than the sum of their parts and involves a careful layering to evoke a strong sense of place - including architecture and public realm, culture, curation of village centre activities, access to beautiful and stimulating countryside, promotion of health and wellbeing, – which come together to deliver an exceptional and unique place.

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Places for People and/or the governance structure will retain control of some or all the commercial floorspace at least until construction across the whole site is complete. This means it has a large amount of control the shops and services that move here, including by supporting tenants in early years. Occupiers will be curated to animate streets and encourage community interaction. Potential strategies include: • Relocation of existing shops that have an existing

customer base, such as the cycle shop at Eastwick.

• Meanwhile and pop-up uses on short and flexible terms.

• Monitoring success, taking on board feedback building in lessons learned.

• Rent deals where needed (for example turnover based rents / fixed rents / or rent free periods).

The village centres will also include employment space, which will create footfall, and sustain demand for local shops and pubs during the week. More detail about the employment offer is included in the Economy and Regeneration section of this report. Places for People has a long-term stake in the communities it builds. As a Registered Social Landlord, a registered Mortgage Lender and a leisure operator it retains both financial and social interest in Gilston Park Estate’s success. That means it will still be around to see the community grow and change – and is committed to tackling the challenges and harnessing opportunities, giving every family the opportunity to thrive at Gilston Park Estate.

Community governance Community governance is about how decisions are made and by whom and how the quality of a place can be sustained. Having appropriate governance arrangements in place at the outset of a development is regarded as essential to its ultimate success as a ‘place’. Legal structures provide a vehicle for the involvement of the local community, secure long-term resident involvement, allow land to be held in trust and for revenue to be guaranteed for management.

Places for People is invested in Gilston Park Estate for the long term. It is in-built into the company’s ethos to prioritise sustainability. The governance structure will establish how development will be co-ordinated (through both planning and delivery phases). It will define how the existing community, authorities and future residents can have certainty about the mechanisms for decision making, engagement, construction and on-going operation and maintenance of community assets. Long-term stewardship of land and facilities is a priority for the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town33. Full details of the intended approach are set out in the Governance Strategy.

Places for People is one of the largest property management companies in the UK and it knows how to run a place effectively. It has pioneered award winning estates management software, including early warning systems for unsustainable or at risk assets. It already manages over 198,640 properties and leisure facilities and wellbeing programmes in over 200 local authorities across the UK.

Places for People is committed to providing a robust Business Plan which will identify each of the assets, the investment in those assets secured through the Section 106 obligations, any fees or income accruing, and any on-going requirement for management and maintenance.

33 Allies and Morrison/Urban Practitioners, 2018. Harlow and Gilston Garden Town Spatial Vision Consultation Draft June 2018


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The basic tenet of the approach is that a trust, or similar body, will be established, will be endowed with assets and will be given responsibility and power to take certain decisions and own, manage and deliver certain facilities and services. Places for People and East Herts District Council have committed to the principle of land value capture.

In recognition of the scale of development and the challenges of creating a new community alongside an existing one over an extended period Places for People has produced an integrated, bespoke strategy which combines: • Extensive community engagement and

involvement throughout the ongoing planning process, including the Masterplans for each village and the Landscape Masterplan;

• Long term ‘Community Re-Investment’ providing early infrastructure investment secured against land value uplifts and long-term returns;

• ‘Locked’ assets which require timely delivery and early restrictions on non-developed land alongside resources for maintenance;

• A phased approach which allows assets to be legally transferred to Community Bodies as the development proceeds and villages or phases are completed.

It has been agreed between Places for People and East Herts District Council that governance arrangements need to be secured at the time of planning permission and implemented from the outset of the development. They will need to ensure that both current and future residents can shape and influence the development and that long term arrangements are put in place for the stewardship of assets on the site.

Responding to the community

Places for People has heard the views of the community in 14 rounds of targeted local consultation events, exhibitions and workshop running since 2009.

In total, residents and stakeholders have had hundreds of platforms and opportunities to provide their views and be actively involved in shaping outcomes. A wide variety of formats, including web and social media, was used from written correspondence, to on-street exhibitions to focused working groups to ensure that people were given the maximum chance to engage effectively and have their views heard.

Places for People has received over 1,000 formal written comments from the community. A dedicated Steering Group is made up of representatives of the local authorities, parish councils, residents and Places for People.

The process of drawing up the Concept Framework has allowed the community extensive involvement and design and delivery principles years before a planning application was prepared. Local, regional and national stakeholders have been formally consulted covering matters ranging from ecology and sports provision to highways, heritage and schools. This level of engagement will continue through the delivery process.

Many changes have been made to the proposals to reflect the concerns and aspirations of those we have engaged. The changes are set out in the Statement of Community Involvement including changes to heights, the size of green buffers, the layout and control of roads, junctions and bridges and the protection of heritage assets. This is summarised in plan on the next page.

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Figure 9: Green infrastructure and open space (Parameter Plan 3: Green Infrastructure and Open Space): The brown areas show zones which are “Sensitive Development Areas”. Development within these areas must adhere to specific principles set out in the Development Specification, designed to conserve and, where possible, enhance the setting of heritage assets.


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A healthy placeGood quality housing is inherently good for health. Being in a safe, warm and dry home that is affordable to heat and maintain is a strong foundation for health and wellbeing.

Health is a key local issue. A third of Harlow residents and 23% of East Hertfordshire residents do no regular physical activity. In Harlow, 29% of people are estimated to smoke, which is amongst the highest rates in England. The ageing population locally will put a substantial and unsustainable pressure on local services if it is not managed adequately.

Good quality housing is a commitment at Gilston Park Estate, but Places for People will also put in place wider interventions and support so that residents find it easy to choose healthy options for transport, food and leisure. Services will be designed to help residents manage health conditions effectively so they need to rely less on hospital care. People will be encouraged and supported to live independently for as long as they want to. The Gilston Park Estate has excellent potential to deliver a new community in which health and wellbeing is considered from the very earliest stages of design. It presents a chance to build on the original vision for Harlow, one of the original New Towns – whilst learning from modern best practice and meeting contemporary health needs and challenges.

Public transport access, designated cycle paths and walkable neighbourhoods will mean that Gilston Park Estate residents rely on cars less. Active travel options will be designed to be fast, effective and enjoyable.

Access to shops and food growing opportunities are included in the masterplan and everyone is excepted to be able to be easily access fresh food by foot or bus.

Green spaces – from neighbourhood greens to Gilston Park and the Airfield Park – will provide a network of spaces for walking, running and cycling to work or for fun. Space for formal and informal active play will be easily accessible from all homes. Sports facilities are planned throughout and will include community football, cricket and tennis pitches as well as multi-use halls and courts. Schools will share their facilities with the community.

Places for People Leisure designs, builds and manages facilities and health and wellbeing programmes for communities. They help people of all abilities find the means and motivation to be fitter, healthier and more active.

Places for People Leisure provides the gym classes and equipment you would expect, but also provides tailored classes for children and older people and programmes that increase the accessibility and enjoyment of sport for people from all backgrounds and personal goals. These principles extend beyond the building or pitch and Places for People invests time and effort into strategic outreach programmes.

There will be primary care provision on-site and Places for People will work with the local and regional NHS bodies, Clinical Commissioning Groups and the Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust to develop a health offer that improves wellbeing, tackles the root causes of ill health and reduces pressure on hospital and emergency care. This could take the form of a community health hub which provide GPs alongside services for long term conditions such as asthma and

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diabetes. There will be strong links between healthcare provision and homes for the older and vulnerable people.

Princess Alexandra Hospital is preparing its Outline Business Case to completely rebuild or relocate its Harlow Campus. Places for People has been working with the Hospital Trust to understand its needs and aspirations and ensure that the healthcare and housing offer at Gilston Park Estate supports the quality of care the Trust can offer. Options include affordable and key worker housing, step down care to remove pressure on beds and extended and community care services running from GP surgeries. Places for People is committed to innovation and finding new ways to use technology to enable residents to live happier, healthier lives. From smart travel planning to apps that help residents monitor their health and communicate with healthcare professionals, Places for People will explore ways to make healthcare simpler and more effective.

The Garden Town Steering Group has already established health as a key agenda item for future meetings and intends to form the Garden Town Health Framework in 2019. As it is the largest site within the Garden Town, Places for People wishes to ensure that some of these health meetings be specifically focussed on Gilston, with partners focused on the specific health opportunities arising from this Site. Places for People is committed to building a set of Key Performance Indicators together with the local authorities and the Garden Town Steering Group, and then instigating a process of knowledge and data sharing over time.

There is real scope at Gilston Park Estate to achieve NHS objectives of integrating health and social care. Alongside this, there is potential for a joined-up approach between health and placemaking, welfare, education and affordable housing. Places for People has extensive experience of delivery and management across these areas.

Technology and innovation As touched on above, the 21st century will see significant changes in how spaces are used and what resources communities need and value. The Outline Parameter approach does not limit the possibilities for innovation and creativity to influence how homes and village centres come forward. Technology has the potential to be a significant force for good improving access to services and jobs and supporting education and wellbeing. The World Economic Forum’s “Technological Tipping Points” identifies six technological trends which are shaping society.

These are: • People and the internet: How people connect with

others, information and the world around them, is being transformed through a combination of wearable and implantable tech, allowing them to interact with objects and one another in new ways.

• Ubiquitous computing, communications and storage: The continued rapid decline in size of computing and connectivity tech is driving an exponential growth in access to and leverage of the internet and data.

• The internet of things: Smaller, cheaper and smarter sensors are being deployed in homes, public spaces, transport, energy and water networks, manufacturing processes to monitor, to improve service delivery and efficiency and to improve quality of life.


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• AI and Big Data: as digitisation increases, the amount of data increases exponentially, as does the sophistication of the problems software can address. With more data comes more responsibility for society and government to control its use where necessary and protect citizen’s rights.

• The sharing economy and distributed trust: the internet is driving a shift towards networks and platform-based social and economic models.

• The digitisation of matter: Physical objects are being “printed” from raw materials using additive (or 3D) printing techniques.

The Technological Tipping points have the potential to have the following impacts on the health and wellbeing of Gilston Park Estate residents: • Improving access to healthcare services and

digital support for effective, safe care at home and long term management of chronic conditions

• New ways of shopping and interacting socially, which will need to be taken into account when undertaking the detailed designs for Village Centres to ensure that technology reduces rather than increases social exclusion or isolation.

• Supporting flexible working patterns and methods that support parents and carers to access work and improve work-life balance,

• Increasing reliance on technology to access employment, which means that digital skills and literacy will be of paramount importance for both children and adults.

• Increasing capacity to monitor resource use and enable smart decision making and low energy consumption lifestyles

• New ways of incentivising convenient public transport that is fast, effective and enjoyable.

The Gilston Park Estate Digital Vision, which will be underpinned by first class digital connectivity, is for the development to be: • A people focussed place that cultivates inclusive,

self-sufficient communities, delivers varied and exciting experiences and places health and wellbeing of its residents at the forefront.

• A place that pioneers the clean growth and sustainability agendas through promoting active lifestyles, resource conservation and innovative forms of public transport

• A place that contributes to the Digital Innovation Zone and Garden Town’s visions of widespread digital transformation and capitalises on opportunities to become a national exemplar test bed for next generation health, agricultural and construction technologies.

For this to be enabled, connection to technology, and education about how to use it, cannot be exclusionary and Places for People will work with partners in education and community to support digital literacy. The introduction of technology into the built environment should be widely communicated and understood by the community (including the risks), designed and implemented in a participatory manor and, wherever possible, any data collected should be used or shared only for the public good. People should be free to exclude themselves from digital networks if they want to – but people should not be excluded on the grounds of their ability, education or income.

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Long-term commitments Places for People’s combined experience and unique combination of skillsets cover the full lifecycle of establishing a new community. Successful and sustainable deliverability of development on this scale requires: • An experienced client team working in partnership

with the local authorities

• A viable scheme with a detailed financial model underpinning it

• A robust approach to community engagement to make the best of new opportunities and manage challenges for existing communities

• Legally binding commitments that ensure delivery of the essential infrastructure to support a sustainable community

• Flexibility to respond to changes in circumstances over the 20+ years of construction and into the future.

Places for People and its team has been engaging directly with the local authorities and their communities. These discussions have always been predicated on Places for People’s commitment to delivering the site itself and continuing to manage the challenges and opportunities at Gilston over the full period of construction and into occupation.

This Strategy includes strong commitments from Places for People. They will form the basis against which the Village Masterplan designs will be reviewed and tested. Places for People will oblige its delivery partners (such as housebuilders) to sign up to the vision and delivery principles and ensure that they are reflected in decision making through every stage of the design, planning and delivery process going forward. The strategy will be linked to binding commitments that will be secured through the Section 106. A summary of the commitments that will be secured within the Outline Planning Permission is set out below.

Securing commitments through the planning process The strategy will only be meaningful if its commitments are adhered to over the long term. This Strategy is submitted alongside the Outline Planning Application for Gilston Park Estate and it is intended to influence the next stages in the planning process, and then delivery, by providing a standard against which the Village Masterplan will be reviewed.

The commitments that are being made now will be secured through the Planning Conditions in Parameter Plans, the Development Specification and the Section 106 Agreement. The Strategy will be linked to binding commitments that will be secured through that Section 106. Those commitments established for the future will be incorporated at the Village Masterplan Stage and

7 Delivery


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then secured through Reserved Matters Applications. Each Village will have a separate masterplan and there will be site wide Landscape Masterplan for areas that fall outside of the villages, each of which will reflect the commitments set out in this Strategy. These commitments are summarised below:

Access to Homes for AllGilston Park Estate will deliver 8,500 new homes, with the first completed and occupied well within the Plan Period – targeted at 2022. Places for People is in a position to accelerate delivery of homes with planning parameters, infrastructure triggers and a clear vision and objectives ensuring that all development is carefully managed.

Places for People will provide a unique and innovative approach to tenure, management and construction. This will enable a wide spectrum of affordable products to be offered, meeting the needs of residents at all stages in their housing career.

This will help to build a sustainable and balanced community and avoid some of the pitfalls of the earlier waves of Garden Towns and New Towns.

Whilst Gilston alone cannot shift the house price trends in the East of England it can provide the diversity of offer to ensure that:

• East Hertfordshire encourages young people to stay here or move here

• Older people have more housing options

• Harlow becomes a more sustainable community and economy

• More of the area’s economic wealth is retained and spent in local shops and services, rather being lost to out-commuting.

• The housing offer will meet the needs of employees of the Harlow and Hertfordshire’s growing technology, health and environmental sectors.

Places for People will provide models of housing and care that meet the challenges of supporting older people in the 21st century.

They will seek ways to provide a joined up approach between health and social care and maximise independence and wellbeing for older people wherever possible.

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The economy and regenerationPlaces for People will help support the area’s economic growth over the coming decades by:• Creating 1,500 more jobs in the business, retail and

service industries and at the schools, nurseries and health centres that will be built.

• Developing skills within the local community by working in partnership with local schools and other providers

• Exploring opportunities for life-long learning and working with partners to deliver them.

• Creating new communities, bringing thousands of potential new shoppers to the area

• Supporting Harlow’s Enterprise Zone, which is creating modern business space for businesses in the ICT, Advanced Manufacturing and Life Science sectors that will ultimately employ 5,000 workers

• The walking and cycling routes and rapid public transport facilities provided within Gilston Park Estate will ensure that residents can access these jobs by accessible means.

• Supporting improvements to Harlow Station and the viability of local services such as Princess Alexandra Hospital

• Supporting East Herts and Harlow Councils’ ambition to deliver a new junction 7a on the M11

• New residents would spend £124.8 million every year on household goods and services, much of which could be captured locally.

The villages will accommodate small scale local employment space that supports small and medium sized firms. The precise form of the employment space is to be determined at the Village Masterplan and Reserved Matter Application stages.

Places for People will be at the forefront of innovation in housing construction and will seek opportunities to use its knowledge and investment to develop the UK skills base and supply chain to the benefit of the whole economy.

Gilston Park Estate will offer plots for self-build, and for tender to housebuilders of any size who are able to meet the standards of design and quality set out.

Places for People will support local firms to tender for opportunities, including allowing partnerships to access works packages – so small firms can still benefit.


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Building a great placeFacilities and village centresGilston Park Estate will have all essential neighbourhood facilities on-site.

Phase One of development (which will focus on Village One) will set the tone for quality of development, provide essential facilities and shared spaces to build the foundations of the community, providing essential services to the earliest residents. Phase One will include both primary and secondary school provision. Schools will be the heart, providing a space to meet and work together for new residents.

All necessary infrastructure will be closely tied to the delivery of housing to ensure it is in place when it is needed.

Places for People will have a large amount of control over the shops and services that move here, including by supporting tenants in early years. Occupiers will be curated to animate streets and encourage community interaction.

The village centres will also include employment space, which will create footfall, and sustain demand for local shops and pubs during the week.

GovernancePart of Places for People’s financial model is revenue based – its business is based on commitment to service provision and quality of place in perpetuity. It has been agreed between Places for People and EHDC that governance arrangements need to be secured at the time of planning permission and implemented from the outset of the development. They will need to ensure that both current and future residents can shape and influence the development and that long term arrangements are put in place for the stewardship of assets on the site.

The parameters and the Development Specification demonstrate commitments that respond to key community concerns. These include: • Buffers and green wedges around existing

settlements and sensitive sites.

• Limitations on where development can come forward and how high it can be.

• Extensive green space and open space which will not be developed on, including the Airfield Park.

Commitments that Places for People will make in the Section 106 Agreement and in the social infrastructure triggers will demonstrate how the communities’ needs will be met and how their ability to engage with the process of delivery will be protected.

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This includes: • Triggers for the delivery of social and community

infrastructure

• A governance structure that will facilitate engagement and support the transition of control from Places for People to the community

• Protection for the Airfield Park for all future development unless with the support of the community.

Promoting community health and wellbeingHealth and wellbeing for the current and future community will be a key consideration in all decision making. Places for People will explore innovative solutions and partnerships to support healthcare and heath lifestyles at Gilston Park Estate. For more detail see the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Technology and innovation Places for people will implement The Gilston Park Estate Digital Vision, which will be underpinned by first class digital connectivity.

Places for People will work with partners in education and community to support digital literacy.

The introduction of technology into the built environment should be widely communicated and understood by the community (including the risks), designed and implemented in a participatory manner and, wherever possible, any data collected should be used or shared only for the public good. Places for People will engage with providers and the community to put measures in place for their security and for their benefit (where this is possible at a site level). Working togetherPlaces for People has worked with the communities and authorities of Hertfordshire and Harlow for nearly a decade.

Its commitment to involving them in the future of Gilston Park Estate will be consistent throughout the process to ensure that the speed, quality and sustainability of homes can really be achieved and can work for those who live and work here. Places for People has a unique approach that can combine vision with practicality and really deliver.

The outline planning application for Gilston Park Estate is accompanied by a suite of application documents. A number of documents have been submitted for formal approval, as identified below. Other documents are submitted in support of the application which consists of ‘strategies’ that provide a topic specific explanation of the approach to development at Gilston Park Estate, and ‘technical’ documents that analyse the compliance of the proposals from a planning policy and guidance context. The strategies draw on information from a variety of the technical documents as graphically presented below.

Outline Planning Application

Documents for ApprovalPlanning application forms and certificates

Application Drawings

Development Specification

Strategic Design Guide

Supporting Documents

Strategies TechnicalPlacemaking Strategy

Sustainability Strategy

Sustainable Movement Strategy

Natural and Historic Landscape Strategy

Housing Strategy

Health and Wellbeing Strategy

Inclusive Growth Strategy

Governance Strategy

Education and Learning Strategy

Environmental Statement

Planning Statement

Landscape and Green Infrastructure Report

Historic Environment Report

Housing Statement

Statement of Community Involvement

Infrastructure Delivery Plan

Design and Access Statement

Planning Permission

• Application Drawings

• Development Specification

• Strategic Design Guide

• Environmental Statement Mitigation

• S106 Agreement / Planning Conditions

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