August 10th 2005

The proposals for Harlow North have been included despite massive public opposition and without addressing the many serious planning flaws we have highlighted.

We have always argued that the plans for at least 10,000 houses north of Harlow were fundamentally flawed, unnecessary, unsustainable and undemocratic.The independent Inspector agreed with our planning arguments and rejected these proposals at the Examination in Public after studying all the evidence. The Government has overturned this decision without providing a good reason.

It may be necessary for the courts to rule on whether the Government's actions are lawful. We will be consulting with others on the next steps.

At the launch Barbara Follett, MP, Minister for the East of England, likened the Plan to one of Baldrick's "cunning plans". We would like to remind the Minister that, as anyone familar with Blackadder will know, Baldrick's plans were usually unsound and led to utter chaos.

Our campaign goes on. There are still many ways of defeating this plan.

If you can make a contribution to our fighting fund please send cheques payable to 'STOP Harlow North', c/o Yewtree House, High Street, Hunsdon SG12 8NT

Regards
Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

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30 April 2008
Ropemakers bail out from Harlow North

Land Securities and Places for People today announced the formation of a 50:50 joint venture which will acquire in excess of 2,400 acres of land to the north of Harlow. The majority of the 2,400 acres will be purchased from Ropemaker Properties for an undisclosed sum and is subject to the site's inclusion in the final East of England Plan which has yet to be published.

This changes nothing for our campaign. We have fought Ropemaker Properties Limited for 15 years and have now finally defeated them. They have withdrawn from the battle battered and scarred. They have offloaded a millstone round their necks. The endless rounds of proposals and studies must have been a significant drain on their resources over many years. Land Securities and Places for People may have bitten off more than they can chew.

We will be fighting every step of the way. We will continue to make our arguments against the unsustainable proposals for development north of Harlow; the lack of infrastructure (water, sewage, rail, roads, schools and hospitals) and lack of jobs.

Our communities have been under threat since Maplecroft was first proposed in 1993. We have successfully fought every plan to build on these green fields. We expect the land north of Harlow to be green fields for the next 15 years and beyond.

Regards
Nigel Clark,
Secretary STOP Harlow North

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24 February 2008
New flight path proposals reduce noise from Stansted – unless you live at Harlow North

In February 2008, the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) issued proposals for a widespread rearrangement of flight paths into and out of UK airports to reduce over flying of built-up areas (see http://www.consultation.nats.co.uk ). These proposals should give a marked reduction in noise levels in the East Herts and West Essex settlements that are affected by air traffic using the easterly approach into Stansted. Good news for the 'would be' developers of Harlow North, then?. Well not exactly. Visit our website and take a look at 'Aircraft Noise' (left hand menu). Run your mouse over the bottom picture to see where the proposed development is in relation to the new flighpath.

'I don't think they could have designed a route more directly over the proposed location of Harlow North' said Nigel Clark Secretary STOP Harlow North

'To deliberately place at least 10,000 new homes in such a location , where they will be subject day and night to the noise, inconvenience, pollution and potential danger from a rapidly increasing number of low flying aircraft, is not only unsound planning practice but would be irresponsible

Issued by Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

Feb 2008
Notes to editors:

1. A previous study has indicated the problem of over flying:

A Study of the relationship between Transport and Development in the London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough Growth Area. Colin Buchanan and Partners & GVA Grimley, August 2004 commissioned by ODPM

'10.10.4 There is no minimal impact land around Harlow, due to landscape sensitivity and significant partial and absolute constraints. Land to the north of Harlow was considered to be the most sensitive and development here would have significant environmental impacts. Absolute constraints that were identified included Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs), floodplain and the eastern section of the search area is located within the 57 dB(A) Leq Noise contour. These absolute constraints would preclude development completely. In addition, there are also a high concentration of partial constraints that consequently overlap to the north of Harlow. These include the 54 dB(A) Leq noise contour, areas of archaeological significance and an abundance of county wildlife sites distributed across the whole of the search area. In terms of landscape sensitivity, 90% of the area is within moderate to high landscape sensitivity.'

2. In its response to the Harlow Options Study the Government Office concluded in relation to land to the north of Harlow that:

'Any development of additional runway capacity and/or operational measures to reduce flying over Harlow could worsen the situation here. Consequently housing development here may be best regarded as only a longer term possibility ...'

GO-East response (dated 1 August 2003) to the Harlow Options Study, Draft Final Report quoted by Herts County Council in submission to the Examination in Public

3. In their submission to the Examination in Public Herts County Council stated:

'Noise levels will cause disturbance and the implications of a second runway are not known.' and

'Development northwards would be under the landing flightpath of Stansted Airport for which there are major expansion plans. This does not represent sound planning practice. To locate major housing development under the flightpath of an airport for which expansion plans would raise the throughput ... would be irresponsible'

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15 February 2008
Two years on and still no water cycle study

Two years ago STOP Harlow North went to the Examination in Public confident in their arguments that proposals for Harlow North were flawed. We had great public support in the gallery.

As we left a developer turned to us and said 'You've won'. He was right. The independent Panel threw out development north of Harlow.

In Dec 2006 the Government undermined the whole planning process, the first public consultation and Examination in Public by rejecting the Panel's recommendation. Undaunted we have generated over 5,500 responses to the public consultation on the proposed changes (March 2007) and over 6,500 responses to the last public consultation on the further proposed changes (Dec 2007).

However, more significantly the Environment Agency stated two years ago at the EiP:

'The rivers in this sub-region are characterised by low flows and already receive significant discharges of treated effluent from existing development. There is effectively no additional capacity available from existing sewage treatment works'. They also stated 'New development would need to be accompanied from the beginning by the necessary new infrastructure. We are not confident that this could be achieved in all locations proposed by the Plan and by other participants.'

The independent Panel asked the Government and relevant agencies to prepare a note urgently on possible ways forward on the water and sewerage issues around Harlow. Two years later the necessary water cycle study has not yet started and funding is even not in place.

Building north of Harlow is unnecessary, unsustainable and undemocratic.

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

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6 January 2007
Thanks for your support; 2008 will be an interesting year

As we start a new year for the campaign I would like to thank you all for your support in 2007.

We started last year with a consultation on the draft East of England Plan and finished it with another. Thank you to all of you who sent in your responses twice!

We held another successful Meet-in the Middle rally in the summer and stepped up our media activity. We were featured in articles in the Times and Daily Telegraph and had appearances on national news programmes. Local news coverage was a good as ever. We even started our own Facebook group. Our summer letter writing campaign to Government Ministers took our case directly to Westminster.

2008 promises to be an interesting year.

The Government will try to publish the East of England Plan. However the flaws in both process and content; especially on environmental issues including water supply and sewage treatment may lead to a judicial review. We will continue to need your support.

In the meantime Lorie Woodland, a BA Hons in Interior and Architectural Design, is writing a dissertation on the role architecture plays in shaping communities. She has chosen to focus on Harlow New Town and the proposal for Harlow North. She is interested in people's opinions of the effect that Harlow North will have on existing communities in Harlow and East Herts. She has constructed a questionnaire which is on our website. If you have views please participate.

All the best for 2008
Regards

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

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15 November 2007
Council rejects development plan for north of Harlow

Dear All,

Thank you for your support during the public consultation on the East of England Plan. The consultation closes at 5pm on Tuesday so there are just a few days left if you have not reponded. Please visit our website to do so.

On Friday we delivered the first batch of over 6,500 separate responses to GO-East in Cambridge. They have already received hundreds of postcards from our supporters. We also presented our formal response with a consultant's technical report which concludes that "the Plan is unsound and not capable of being delivered."

We have worked closely with East Herts Council throughout the planning process and welcome their response to the Plan (copied below). With the residents, parish, town, district and county councils in Hertfordshire united against this development the Government would be foolish to ignore such a weight of opinion and concrete over our countryside.

Over the three public consultations on the Plan since 2004 an ever increasing number of responses opposing Harlow north have been submitted to the Government ; 3,500 in the first, 5,550 in the second and now well in excess of 7,000.

The independent Inspector rejected buliding north of Harlow in the summer of 2006. We now hope the Government will also do so in the spring of 2008.

Regards

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

Council rejects development plan for north of Harlow

Introduction

December 14, 2007 EAST Herts Council has reiterated its total opposition to government plans to develop land north of Harlow.

The development proposal is included in the East of England Plan which allows for at least 32,000 new homes in East Hertfordshire including up to 20,000 north of Harlow and 12,000 in the rest of East Herts. The final version is due to be published early next year and will run until 2021.

The council has called on the government to remove the proposals for land north of Harlow from the Plan and reconsider them, following more detailed studies, in the next Plan that will run to 2031.

This is in part because the council believes the government has failed to carry out an infrastructure study into how the Rye Meads water treatment plant would cope with the massively increased demand.

The council has also said it believes the Plan will have adverse effects on sites of European and international importance for nature conservation, in particular the Lea Valley Special Protected Area. The response to Government has been made as part of a further eight week consultation, which ended on December 18, about protected habitats.

The council's comments come after the government published its further proposed changes to the Plan in October.

Mike Carver, East Herts Council's Executive member for planning policy and transport, said: "We have tried to be helpful in our response to Government. We've focused our objections on the north of Harlow, rather than other parts of the Plan. We still maintain our opposition to the development north of Harlow, and we don't see how that area can even be considered for development without a relevant infrastructure study."

ENDS

Note to editors: The council's comments, which come in the form of recommendations, are due to become council policy on Friday, December 14. They are then subject to a five day period during which they can be called in for re-examination, on the request of at least four councillors, by a scrutiny committee.

The full report can be found at http://www.eastherts.gov.uk/ by following the links from Council and democracy to Executive non key decisions.

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1 November 2007
Further Harlow North public consultation- please respond

The Government has published further Proposed Changes to the East of England Plan for public consultation

The Government continues to ignore its own Inspectors' well-founded recommendations to reject building north of Harlow!

You now have a further opportunity to tell them they have got it wrong.

How can you comment?

Complete the response form on our website. http://www.stopharlownorth.com/

Write directly to: Regional Planning Team, GO-East, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge CB2 8DF, or complete a Government response form on line.

Simply return one of the postcards we will be distributing, fill in your name and address and post it back to GO-East

responses to be received no later than 5pm on 18th December 2007
Please get all family members to respond separately and encourage all your friends and neighbours to respond. We need thousands of responses.

Thanks again for your support

Regards

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

P.S. You can now join our Facebook group. Just search for STOP Harlow North. It would be great to see you on-line

Why do I need to respond again?

The East of England Plan is the document that sets out the strategy to guide planning and development in the East of England to the year 2021. It will affect your quality of life for decades.

The independent Panel appointed by the Government rejected building north of Harlow in June 2006. The Government published its Proposed Changes to the Plan for public consultation in late 2006. The Government ignored the independent Panel and included massive building plans north of Harlow.

The Government is now consulting on further changes in an attempt to comply with environmental legislation which it omitted to do earlier. We believe the work has been inadequate and incomplete and will result in serious environmental harm.

The Government continues to ignore its own Inspectors’ well-founded recommendations!

What do I need to do?

You need to tell the Government AGAIN that you:

object to the proposals to build at least 10,000 houses in the green fields north of Harlow and the planned Green Belt review to accommodate at least 20,000 houses, doubling the size of the town.

support the independent Panel recommendation to remove building north of Harlow from the Plan based on their report issued in June 2006

make the technical points on our website form relating to water and sewage treatment and the damage the Plan will cause to protected sites.

object to the over-development of this area which only brings economic, environmental and infrastructure problems, especially those of water supply and sewage treatment, that cannot be easily solved.

Will it make a difference?

The first public consultation resulted in over 3,500 responses on this issue alone and ensured the Inspector listened to our case at the Examination in Public.

The second consultation resulted in over 5,000 responses on Harlow North and forced Government to try and paper over the cracks in its plans. We need to build on this success.

Now we need Hazel Blears, Secretary of State, to hear our message again

Make sure your voice is heard before 5pm on 18th December

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5 October 2007
Have your say on Harlow's development

Dear All,

Harlow Council is consulting over the new version of their Local Plan, now know as the Local Development Framework (LDF). The LDF will guide the future development of Harlow and YOUR VIEWS are very important.

An outline of the questions is below but you need to complete the forms on line or download them and use the FREEPOST facility to return them.

The forms are here:

http://www.harlow.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=9428

There is a general survey and one about transport. Please complete both.

You could explain that you want a 'better not bigger Harlow' and that the Green Belt should be protected. You could raise the issues of water supply, sewage treatment, lack of infrastructure, congested roads or overcrowded trains

Please speak up.

If you have any difficulty downloading the forms please let me know and I can send them to you.

Regards

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

Outline of questions (Please respond via link above not by reply)

LDF General Questionnaire

1. What are the best things about Harlow and what aspects do you feel need improvement / change?

2. Harlow will be growing, what housing issues do we need to address?

3. Where should new homes be built?

4. What types of jobs in Harlow will benefit local people?

5. How can we make the most of our Green spaces?

6. How can we improve Harlows transport network?

7. What do you want Harlow to be like in 10 years time?

8. What can be done to improve the quality of life in Harlow?

Transport Questionnaire

The survey starts with some demographic questions and then asks:

7. If we could only afford one major transportation improvement affecting Harlow what would you like it to be and why?

8. What improvements would make your journeys around Harlow easier?

9. If we build more footpaths/cycleways in Harlow would you use them? Yes/No

If you answered Yes above what improvements would you like to see? If you answered No above, would any other particular improvement encourage you to walk/cycle more?

10. If the bus services were improved would you use them? Yes/No

If you answered Yes above what improvements would encourage you to use buses more? If you answered No above, what would encourage you to use the buses?

11. If the train services were improved would you use them? Yes/No

If you answered Yes above what improvements would encourage you to use trains more? If you answered No above, what would encourage you to use the trains?

12. There are proposals for more houses and jobs in the Harlow area. What transport proposals should accompany these developments?

13. Do you have any other general comments on transportation issues affecting Harlow?

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2 October 2007
STOP Harlow North update October 2007
Dear All,

It has been some time since we last updated you on the STOP Harlow North campaign but as we enter our 4th year it is time to take stock.

Earlier this year over 5,500 people objected to the proposals for Harlow North during the public consultation on the East of England Plan. In June the Government announced a delay to the publication of the Plan as it needs to do more work to ensure compliance with the EU Habitats Directive. The earliest publication date was to be this autumn. Autumn is here but the Plan is not. Why?

Our experts indicate that compliance with the Directive is likely to be problematic and requires considerable work. We have also learnt that the water cycle study ? a study of where the water for all these houses will come from and how the sewage will be treated ? has not yet started. The government is arguing about who should pay!

Debate is also raging about solving Harlow's traffic congestion problems. The Government's plans say Harlow will have to make do without any new roads as a bypass can't be funded in the short term. Existing Harlow residents are urged to walk, cycle and use the bus so 25,000 more cars from at least 16,000 more houses can be added to the roads. Bill Rammell, MP for Harlow, says building the houses will secure the money needed for a new road. Why is that? Surely the Government should use the taxes we already pay to build basic infrastructure to solve existing problems.

There seems to be a theme emerging. The Government can't afford its own plans.

It may be that the Plan will not be published until the Comprehensive Spending Review is complete- ie when all the Government departments have agreed how our taxes will be divided up. Or until after an election!

Whenever it is published it is not likely to go unchallenged.

Over the summer you have responded magnificently to our request to write to Government Ministers. Over 500 letters were sent in. The generic response is on the front page of our website ? the various ministers declined to respond individually. Still this kept the issue of Harlow North alive in their in-trays.

The frontline parishes have also been busy. Both Eastwick and Gilston and Hunsdon are building their parish plans and Sawbridgeworth Town Council has launched a town plan initiative. These plans ? which are built from grass roots feedback ? are a way for the communities to make their own input into the planning process and to promote our vision for Gilston Great Park.

Locally there has been much speculation about an organisation, Places for People (Making Places), agreeing to buy land north of Harlow. We have approached them for a statement but at this time they have 'no announcement to make in relation to Harlow'. If this changes they have said they will inform us as a priority. Ropemakers indicate they have not entered into a contractual agreement with Places for People or any development partner.

So the work goes on and we continue to need your support. We don?t have formal membership fees but ask for a £10 donation each year to help fund our ongoing work. We now need money to prepare our technical and legal challenges to the Plan.

Please send cheques payable to 'STOP Harlow North' to Treasurer SHN, c/o Yewtree House, High Street, Hunsdon, Herts, SG12 8NT or use our website form if you want to join those who make regular contribution by standing order.

Thank you for your support.

Best wishes

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

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18 June 2007
SHN campaign continues with a rally on June 24th

Dear All,

I would like to thank all the STOP Harlow North supporters for responding to the public consultation on the draft East of England Plan earlier this year. Last week GO-East announced a further delay in publishing the Plan as some basic environmental work had not been done; something we pointed out some time ago.

Our campaign continues with a rally on June 24th in the centre of Eastwick at 1pm. We are encouraging people to enjoy the countryside and to walk from their villages on the public footpaths to “Meet in the Middle” for a family BBQ and picnic for the third year running. All are welcome; please join us there even if you can’t make the walk. We will be launching a mass letter signing initiative to keep up the pressure on the Government.

Mark Prisk, MP and others will address the rally in the early afternoon.

I hope to see you next Sunday

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

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27 May 2007
Come and join the STOP Harlow North rally on Sunday June 24^th

Please join our rally to protest against Ropemaker’s damaging proposals for 25,000 houses north of Harlow. This development could engulf our villages, destroy our quality of life and threaten the regeneration of Harlow. Come and enjoy the beautiful countryside that is still under threat from developers.

Although the independent Panel report on the draft East of England Plan recommended that Harlow North be rejected Ruth Kelly, MP reinstated the proposals last December. Thousand of our supporters responded to the public consultation this spring and we still await news of the final outcome. We need you to demonstrate your continuing opposition to these proposals

We would like you and your friends and family to join us in walking from your village to "Meet in the Middle" at Eastwick at around 1pm on June 24th. Please use the public footpaths and enjoy the fresh air.

We will be holding a BBQ and picnic at the end of the walks in the centre of Eastwick village opposite the Lion pub. Feel free to bring your own food or buy from our BBQ.

Even if you can’t join a walk please join us in Eastwick at 1pm on June 24th

A number of speakers will address the rally in Eastwick in the early afternoon.

If you can help on the day with the BBQ, stewarding or leading a walk please let us know.

You may also want to attend a debate organised by the faith community at St Paul's Church, Harlow Town Centre on Friday 8th June 2007 at 7.30 pm. The meeting will be an opportunity for all who are interested in the proposed development in Harlow North to come together for an 'extended conversation' about the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats presented by the proposal

We are currently in discussion with a documentary film maker to televise both these events. Please come along; you may become a film star!

Regards

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

If you want more details of walks from each village for "Meet in the Middle" please contact your local rep on:

Eastwick & Gilston eastwick&gilston@stopharlownorth.com

High Wych highwych@stopharlownorth.com

Hunsdon hunsdon@stopharlownorth.com

Much Hadham muchhadham@stopharlownorth.com

Sawbridgeworth sawbridgeworth@stopharlownorth.com

Widford widford@stopharlownorth.com

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10 March 2007
5,000 local residents object to Harlow North development

Stop Harlow North have estimated that over 5,000 individual objections had been submitted to GO-EAST as part of the consultation on the East of England Development Plan by the deadline of 5pm March 9th

Speaking on behalf of Stop Harlow North, Nigel Clark today commented:

We are greatly encouraged by the outpouring of support for the campaign to halt this unsustainable and ill thought through development.

Thousands of local residents expressed their concern over:

The way the independent inspector's recommendations were rejected;

The lack of infrastructure for road, rail, water and sewage treatment;

The destruction of vast areas of green belt land;

And the damage the proposal will have on the long term regeneration of Harlow.

We don't see the Government paying the £1 billion infrastructure bill to deliver this scheme, and these costs will undoubtedly be passed on to local taxpayers and local industry.

This development is neither sustainable nor deliverable, and will not address local housing need. The government needs to go back to the drawing board.

Efforts will now step up to promote Gilston Great Park as an alternative to these massive housing plans which would bring concrete, congestion and chaos to Harlow and East Herts.

Thanks go to everyone of our supporters who made their own individual contribution to the campaign.

Yours

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North on behalf of the whole team

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2 March 2007
Last chance to speak up for a "better not bigger Harlow" and to protect your green spaces

All,

We have had a marvellous response to our campaign; over 2,200 people have responded on line and we believe over 1,500 postcards and other coupons have been returned to GO-East. The opposition to building 10,000 or more homes north of Harlow is growing day by day and we will win this battle.

There are just 7 days left before the public consultation closes on March 9th and I have a special request.

Could I ask each and every one of you to get at least one more person to submit a representation via our website?

http://www.stopharlownorth.com/response_2.htm

What about your kids, granny, nephew, cousin, neighbour, work colleague, old school friend, the list you use to send those amusing things you find on the internet?

We have had responses from China to Cornwall. Every one is welcome. If we all get one more person we could double our impact.

Have you done everything you can to stop this unnecessary and unsustainable scheme?

If you still have questions please read the press releases on our website or get in touch. You can read what other people think below.

Best wishes and thanks for all your support

Nigel Clark
Secretary STOP Harlow North

http://www.stopharlownorth.com/