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! 

Parking solutions...

 I mentioned in the post about Bishopsfield that when the properties there were built, the expectation was that every property having an allocated underground garage would cover all the parking requirements for the development. Now of course with so many properties having more than one vehicle, the parking spills onto the surrounding streets too. 

Bishopsfield is not the only area to have been given this sort of underground parking either - some of the tower blocks have a similar arrangement- including Nichols Tower - pictured above. 

Now, the underground garages are closed off and disused - and mostly full of rubbish

The garages are quite narrow, and even with working lighting (you can’t tell from the photos but it was very dark inside) I’m none too sure I would fancy having to park my car in the very back of that area. I suspect this is the reason why they are no longer used. I’m sure when the town plan was written it seemed inconceivable that it would be possible for the majority of households to have a car, and also that in a town like Harlow, that so many people would consider they needed one.