West of Roydon and north of Epping Forest, sits the urban area of West Harlow. Originally part of the Great Parndon civil parish, it was subsumed into Harlow during the construction of the new town in the mid-20th century. As such, this is a small area connecting the urban site of central Harlow to the greenery of Roydon nestled at the top of the Lea Valley. However, this area sits adjacent to major transport corridors such as the A10, M25, A414, and the M11, connecting London to Cambridge. This specific area of Harlow has a large variety of housing stock, from detatched builds, to semi-detached terraces, and purpose built blocks. However, the north of this area is also home to industrial parks and business centres.

Harlow was part of the post WWII housing initiative, the New Towns Act, which designated the construction of eight new towns across England, to ease pressure on the overcrowded and blitzed London. Planned and designed largely by masterplanner Sir Frederick Gibberd, Harlow’s ethos was egalitarian, and inspired by the Garden City movements seen in locales such as Welwyn Garden City. It was designed around the features of Old Harlow, and as such, Harlow has a unique blend of contemporary modernist design and the influences of the historic town.

Harlow Town is a town of firsts; including the first-ever pedestrian shopping precinct and the first-ever residential towerblock!

However, the town has faced hardship over the past 20 years or so. Due to lack of governmental funding, infrastructural maintenance, and rapid deindustrialisation, the once utopic centre of Essex has fallen behind. With an unemployment rate of 5.4%, well over the national average of 3.9%, which rose this year, Harlow’s financial troubles are well documented.

But this is all to change! After years of infrastructural neglect, 2024 welcomes a regeneration programme into the heart of Harlow. Through the Government’s Levelling Up scheme, planning applications are currently underway for a complete structural re-haul of central Harlow, specifically targetting Arts and Culture.The Harlow and Gilston Town inititive is currently building 3,350 new homes in the area north of the Princess Alexandra Hospital. The local council has also unveiled a five-year economic strategy aiming to boost the resilience of the local economy, and to get Harlow back as a Utopia!