Latest News: Planning permission was granted for the Outline Applications for Villages 1-6 (reference 3/19/1045/OUT) and Village 7 (reference 3/19/2124/OUT) on 9th January 2025.

 

The two developers have launched a new website: gilston.info which will record information such as planned construction works and provide a means for the community to report any estates management issues.
 

Harlow and Gilston Garden Town

To help meet the challenging level of housing need in East Herts, the council has allocated land in the Gilston Area for a new development of 10,000 homes.

The allocation was approved after a lengthy independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate and the site forms part of the development strategy identified in the East Herts District Plan 2018.

How is the Gilston Area related to the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town?

The Gilston Area forms part of the wider Harlow and Gilston Garden Town (HGGT), which was designated a Garden Town by the Ministry for Homes, Communities and Local Government in January 2017.  

In total the HGGT will include the development of 23,000 new homes across new neighbourhoods to the east, west, and south of Harlow, and the Gilston Area to the north. 

East Herts District Council is working with Harlow Council, Epping Forest District Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Essex County Council and Homes England to plan this growing community and to ensure that development delivered is of the highest quality and is reflective of Garden Town principles.

Further details about the HGGT and its associated publications which are a material consideration in planning decision making can be viewed on the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town website. 

Please also see our Harlow and Gilston Frequently Asked Questions, which provide more detail about the Gilston Area and the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town.

 

Read the planning application summary

In addition to new homes, the site will deliver a significant amount of new infrastructure including schools, health facilities and parks. One of the headline aspirations of the council is the creation of a new place where residents are able to lead healthy and active lifestyles.  A key goal is to ensure and enable sustainable transport choices – prioritising walking, cycling and public transport. 

Substantial financial contributions will also be made to off-site infrastructure.  Infrastructure secured will therefore include new connections and road space for sustainable transport, linking the Gilston Area to key destinations in Harlow.

Part of the Gilston Area land was within the Green Belt and part of the site was in the rural area beyond the Green Belt.  

However, when the District Plan was adopted the Green Belt designation was removed to enable the allocated site to come forward. 

East Herts Council 

  • Jenny Pierce - Gilston Area Team Leader.  Jenny has overall responsibility for the Gilston area project. Her key focuses are the infrastructure proposals (Central Stort Crossing and Eastern Stort Crossing) and the Places for People development known as Villages 1-6.
  • Emily Harvey - Village 7 Lead. Emily is responsible for the Taylor Wimpey development for Village 7, focusing on the masterplanning and legal agreement workstreams.
  • Kevin Steptoe - East Herts Garden Town Lead. East Herts lead for Harlow and Gilston Garden Town, Kevin also works on aspects of Gilston relating to the legal agreement and compulsory purchase workstreams.
  • Ciaran McCullagh – Urban Design and Conservation Lead.  Ciaran is the East Herts lead in terms of heritage and conservation matters.  He is also working on the masterplan workstreams.

If you are interested in joining the Gilston Team please email Gilston.applications@eastherts.gov.uk.

 

Hertfordshire County Council

  • Matthew Wood – Growth and Infrastructure Lead. Matt is the Hertfordshire County Council lead for the Gilston Area development.  He ensures liaison and collaboration in relation to county matters, including on the masterplan workstreams.
  • Roger Flowerday – Transport Lead. Roger is the Hertfordshire County Council lead for the Gilston Area development in relation to strategic transport planning.  He ensures liaison and collaboration in relation to county highways matters.

 

Places for People

  • Philip Murphy. Phil is the main contact at Quod who are planning agents for PfP.  

 

Taylor Wimpey

  • Will Lusty. Will is the main contact at Savills who are planning agents for Taylor Wimpey.
Read the latest news regarding the Harlow and Gilston project
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