Latest news with #HarlowCouncil
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Flats dubbed 'open prison' to be redeveloped
Councillors have unanimously backed their authority buying a 14-storey building that was controversially converted from offices into temporary accommodation. Conservative leader of Harlow Council in Essex, Dan Swords, said Terminus House had been "a massive postcard image of the decline of Harlow" and said the authority would redevelop the town centre site. Opposition leader, Labour's James Griggs, said he supported the plans, but his primary concern was what would happen to the 150 to 200 people living there. The council said it would take ownership once the current owner has re-housed the residents. The owner, Caridon, said the building had helped hundreds of people avoid homelessness. Glen Lane, 65, has lived in the tower block in one room with an en-suite since 2018. He described conditions as "the worst place I have ever lived in", saying it "feels like an open prison, probably worse than an open prison". Mr Lane was homeless and said he struggled to get on the local council housing list. "It's depressing. It's got a reputation this property. It's embarrassing when I put my address down," he said. "I feel quite ashamed about it as I haven't always lived like this. I used to have my own property and job but I lost all that." His room is only a few square metres in size. At the end of his double bed, the kitchen begins. For the last eight months he said the property had been plagued with insects. He had used insect powder but they were still "climbing on me at night when I'm sleeping". Crime rose by 20% in the area around Terminus House after it was turned into accommodation in 2018, according to police figures. A BBC East and Panorama documentary highlighted the cramped conditions. In 2021, the government imposed a minimum size of 37 sq m (398 sq ft) on new office to flat conversions. Harlow Council has become the largest landowner in the town centre, buying up buildings to regenerate them into new housing, leisure and retail space. The authority's latest decision to buy Terminus House has brought uncertainty about the building's future. Conservative leader Dan Swords said plans were being finalised on whether it would be demolished or redeveloped. However, he said in any scenario it would look "completely different from that which it does now". "The existing tenants, which have largely nearly all come through temporary accommodation from London boroughs, will be housed outside of Harlow," he said. Labour's James Griggs argued that "sending them back somewhere else seems completely wrong". He told the BBC that some people had been living there for years. "There are families who now consider themselves Harlow families. They have children in Harlow schools, the parents are working in the town." The redeveloped site would likely include housing. The local authority has not disclosed how much it was paying for it. Emma Batrick, a charity organiser who supports local families, said many people living in Terminus House would be "reeling at the news that their homes will be going". "There is a real concern about the human element of this," she said. Caridon, the company that owns Terminus House, said in a statement the building met "a pressing need for temporary accommodation at a time of limited options". "The building has since supported hundreds of individuals and families in avoiding homelessness and finding stability during difficult periods," it said. Speaking at his flat, Mr Lane welcomed Harlow Council's plans. "I'm glad they are doing it. It definitely needs upgrading," he said. But where he and others will end up living is not currently known. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. MP's concern over homes in converted office blocks 'He's banging his head because there is no room' 'I don't want my kids thinking this is normal' Harlow Council
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Harlow Council feeling pressure of housing Londoners, leader says
Housing people from London put an Essex town under "massive pressure", a council leader claimed. Dan Swords said Harlow Council was being beaten to temporary accommodation in the new town by London boroughs with more meant there was less shelter available for homeless people from Harlow, the Conservative said. He vowed to take a "robust and firm" approach in accepting homeless applications from the capital.A London Councils spokesperson said "out-of-London placements are a minority" and added: "Boroughs only make placements outside London as a last resort or when the homeless household has a connection in the placing area." Under previous measures to tackle homelessness in Harlow, 12 former office blocks were converted into 1,000 fire concerns have seen residents evacuated from two of those developments in the past 11 months. Swords said the latest incident on Thursday compounded "significant pressure" felt by the council."Harlow has a particularly challenging problem because we've seen a huge number of, typically, London boroughs placing residents in temporary accommodation into Harlow," he told BBC Essex."Often, London boroughs will pay much more than Harlow Council is able to, to secure those properties."Swords said it was then left to the council to support the new residents, as well as local NHS services and 370 families were living in temporary accommodation in the town, he said, adding over the past five years, Harlow had seen annual rises in homelessness of 20%.The council leader pledged to remind London authorities "very firmly" of their duties so he could prioritise people from Harlow."Our job as Harlow Council is to provide housing and do the very best we can for Harlow residents," he added. "It is simply impossible for us to do that for London boroughs too, and we will be very robust and firm in that approach." London Councils, a cross-party organisation that represents 32 borough councils and the City of London, said the capital faced the "most severe homelessness pressures in the country, accounting for more than half (56%) of England's homelessness figures". It added that boroughs were aware that London's homelessness emergency is increasingly felt beyond its boundaries, and it was a "national emergency requiring a national response"."Out-of-London placements are a minority of the overall number of placements made by boroughs," the spokesperson added. "The latest available data shows that 12% of London placements were outside the capital. Given the worsening housing pressures in London, this has increased from typical historic levels of around 6-8%."The organisation estimated that more than 183,000 Londoners were homeless and living in temporary accommodation arranged by their local borough, equivalent to one in 50 Londoners, and one in 21 children. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform UK wins three seats in Harlow and Thurrock by-elections
Reform UK has gained three seats in by-elections that took place across Essex. The party gained its first seat on Harlow Council and picked up two seats on Thurrock Farage's party has been celebrating victories in local elections across were six by-elections in total in Essex, with the other three seats being secured by the Liberal Democrats in Chelmsford. Reform candidate Paul Jago won the seat in the Mark Hall ward in Harlow by polling 81 more votes than the by-election took place after the Labour councillor the Ockendon ward in Thurrock, Alan Benson and Russel Cherry picked up the seats for Reform - meaning the party now has three seats on the and Cherry secured more than 1,000 votes each - more than double that of their closest rival, Tory Sue Johnson who picked up 533.A decade ago, Farage's former party UKIP won seats in Ockendon. Chelmsford's Liberal Democrat MP Marie Goldman vacated her position on Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council to focus on her job in seat on the county council for Chelmsford Central was won by Lib Dem David Loxton by 1,074 County Council, which comprises of 75 councillors, is controlled by the stepped back from her Moulsham and Central seat on the city council - as did Lib Dem Graham Pooley due to ill Ayres and Seán Manley won those two seats for the secured more than 1,000 votes each, more than double that of their closest rival, Reform's Darren Brooke who got 572. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Town e-scooter trial approved despite safety fears
Harlow is set to become the fifth area in Essex to trial e-scooters, despite issues with other schemes in the county. The regulated e-scooters, backed by the Department for Transport, would provide a safe and convenient means of getting around the town, Harlow Council said. It follows similar trials in Colchester, Braintree, Chelmsford and Basildon, which have seen calls for the experiment to be dropped, with Basildon ending its scheme in May over the risk to public safety. Alastair Gunn, portfolio holder for planning at the Conservative-led council, said safety concerns in Harlow had been "central" to its considerations. On Wednesday evening, the council's cabinet agreed to progress with implementing the trial. A final decision would be made by the council later this year. "Ultimately what matters is whether this trial gives Harlow residents a better way to get around town and to live their lives," said Gunn. "The e-scooters will be easily affordable for most people and even with speed restrictions, they may well be quicker and easier than driving particularly at peak times." E-scooters would be available at sites around Harlow on a hire or subscription service until at least May 2026. Conditions would include making sure users are over 18, hold a provisional or full driving licence, and pass safety training that includes awareness of other highway users. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. E-scooter trial to be scrapped over safety fears Councillors call for e-scooter trial to be scrapped More than three million rides in e-scooter trial
BBC News
19-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Harlow set for e-scooter trial despite safety fears
Harlow is set to become the fifth area in Essex to trial e-scooters, despite issues with other schemes in the regulated e-scooters, backed by the Department for Transport, would provide a safe and convenient means of getting around the town, Harlow Council said. It follows similar trials in Colchester, Braintree, Chelmsford and Basildon, which have seen calls for the experiment to be dropped, with Basildon ending its scheme in May over the risk to public Gunn, portfolio holder for planning at the Conservative-led council, said safety concerns in Harlow had been "central" to its considerations. "Ultimately what matters is whether this trial gives Harlow residents a better way to get around town and to live their lives," he added."The e-scooters will be easily affordable for most people and even with speed restrictions, they may well be quicker and easier than driving particularly at peak times."E-scooters would be available at sites around Harlow on a hire or subscription service until at least May 2026. Conditions would include making sure users are over 18, hold a provisional or full driving licence, and pass safety training that includes awareness of other highway approved by cabinet, a group made up of Essex County Council, Harlow Council and an e-scooter operator would investigate the trial's potential. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
