Gilston Park Estate - outline planning permission for new homes

Above: CGI aerial view of Gilston Park Esate and wider district (MICA Architects)

East Herts District Council has granted outline Planning Permission for MICA's design proposals for a residential led mixed use development comprising of up to 8,500 residential homes, a range of community uses, retail and leisure facilities, business and commercial uses, open space and public realm and infrastructure.

The proposal, to the north of Harlow is part of the East of England Plan to provide new homes, jobs, investment and prosperity to Harlow and the surrounding areas of Essex and Hertfordshire. The illustrative master plan, designed in collaboration with Grimshaw, delivers high quality homes across a spectrum of tenures, while developing only one-third of the available land, sustainably planned to meet identified housing needs, and supporting Harlow's lasting regeneration.

MICA states that the design is a sensitive and measured response intimately connected to its place and its landscape heritage. It is conceived as a series of connected and distinctive villages, each separated by and directly facing onto green space and organised around a central restored historic parkland - Gilston Park. While each village has its own centre and will benefit from individual and differentiated character and identity, all are bound together in one overall landscape vision. Designed in the spirit of a 'managed estate', GPE provides substantially increased access to open space and amenity for all.

Gavin Miller, Director commented:

'We are delighted to see our designs receive outline planning permission. The scheme provides a much needed solution to today's housing challenges in a resilient and responsible manner. As the next stages develop, we hope that the design quality within our masterplan is realised.'