Newhall...

 

Hanley Lane, Newhall 

Can anyone spot the glaring omission from the road layout above? The one that at this point in time, when we’ve for some time been told we should be reducing reliance on our mostly combustion engined cars for environmental reasons, and turn instead to walking more? Even more specifically at this precise point in time in fact - when under lockdown rules it’s being encouraged to exercise from home...?

Yes - pavements. This road is part of the “North Chase” development - one of the newer parts of Newhall - in fact Google Streetview doesn’t currently show the houses that you see pictured above. Imagine being a family with children living there - your 8 year old wants to run up the road (in non-Covid times, obviously) to go and play with his friend. It’s only a short distance, you can watch him all the way,  but you can’t allow him to go unaccompanied because as soon as he’s outside the door, he’s got to share his route with traffic ranging from delivery drivers looking harder at their satnav than the road, the dustcart, older kids on bikes racing each other, and the deliveroo and similar riders on their mopeds who are on a time limit to deliver next doors pizza while it’s still hot... 

Harlow New Town was planned so carefully to ensure that it was safe for pedestrians - indeed far MORE geared up to pedestrians than many other places in the U.K. Newhall is letting the side down - this road is far from the only recently built part of this development without infrastructure to suit those on foot, or allowing children to play outside on the streets. You have to question why Harlow Council gave permission for this to happen! 

Newhall...

Harlow is slightly unusual in that old and new sit alongside one another so closely. Even since the building of the new Town in the 1950's the expansion continued with first Church Langley and now Newhall springing up. Both of these areas break with the "Harlow tradition" of areas of housing centred around small shopping areas, but maintain the theme of plenty of green areas and, in the case of Newhall in particular, a strong architectural/design focus.

Some areas of Newhall are still under construction - the block above is for sale at the moment even though the common parts are still very much a work in progress. Once the current developments "North Chase", "slo" and Be:" are completed, there will be a Phase 2 to be built, which should put into place some of the infrastructure which feels to be lacking at present.