AGEING council-owned garage sites across Harlow are set to be bulldozed to make way for new housing.
Harlow Council plans to offload 17 of the “eyesores” to private developers and housing associations.
Under proposals approved by cabinet members last week, the authority anticipates that more than 70 new homes could be provided – some of which will be made available for those on the council’s housing register.
It will also insist that firms interested in taking on the project provide new building apprenticeships and other learning opportunities for local residents.
According to the council, the garage sites – all of which are over 40 years old - are either derelict or underused and attract anti-social behaviour, vandalism and fly-tipping.
Residents in each area earmarked for redevelopment - Arkwrights, Bushey Croft, Chippingfield, Church Leys, Collins Meadow, Fesants Croft, Felmongers, Halling Hill (two sites), Hookfield, Nicholls Field, Milwards, Stackfield , The Hides, The Hill, The Readings and Woodleys - will be consulted and all final plans will be subject to planning permission.
The sites are set to be advertised on the open market in the Spring, with all money raised from their sale reinvested into the council’s capital programme.
Councillor Clive Souter, portfolio holder for housing, told the Star the project would create jobs as well as homes for local residents.
“We want to see the developments provide a good mix of housing which includes homes built for local people waiting on the housing register,” he said.
“Creating apprenticeships – where young people help build these new homes – is also something we will be asking developers to sign up to.
“Many of these areas are sitting derelict or are underused attracting anti-social behaviour and we think the best use of these sites is to provide additional housing to regenerate these areas.”
