The Gilston Area

To help meet the challenging level of housing need in East Herts, the council has allocated land in the Gilston Area for a new development of 10,000 homes.  

The allocation was approved after a lengthy independent examination by the Planning Inspectorate and the site forms part of the development strategy identified in the East Herts District Plan 2018.

In addition to new homes, the site will deliver a significant amount of new infrastructure including schools, health facilities and parks. One of the headline aspirations of the council is the creation of a new place where residents are able to lead healthy and active lifestyles.  A key goal is to ensure and enable sustainable transport choices – prioritising walking, cycling and public transport. 

Substantial financial contributions will also be made to off-site infrastructure.  Infrastructure secured will therefore include new connections and road space for sustainable transport, linking the Gilston Area to key destinations in Harlow.

Part of the Gilston Area land was within the Green Belt and part of the site was in the rural area beyond the Green Belt.  

However, when the District Plan was adopted the Green Belt designation was removed to enable the allocated site to come forward. 

East Herts Council 

• Jenny Pierce - Gilston Area Team Leader.  Jenny has overall responsibility for the Gilston area project. Her key focuses are the infrastructure proposals (Central Stort Crossing and Eastern Stort Crossing) and the Places for People development known as Villages 1-6.
• Emily Harvey - Village 7 Lead. Emily is responsible for the Taylor Wimpey development for Village 7, focusing on the masterplanning and legal agreement workstreams.
• Kevin Steptoe - East Herts Garden Town Lead. East Herts lead for Harlow and Gilston Garden Town, Kevin also works on aspects of Gilston relating to the legal agreement and compulsory purchase workstreams.
• Molly Stroyman – Stewardship and Community Engagement Lead.  Molly is responsible for workstreams related to stewardship for the Gilston Area and activities relating to community engagement and development, linking to related Garden Town workstreams.
• Ciaran McCullagh – Urban Design and Conservation Lead.  Ciaran is the East Herts lead in terms of heritage and conservation matters.  He is also working on the masterplan workstreams.

If you are interested in joining the Gilston Team please email Gilston.applications@eastherts.gov.uk.

Hertfordshire County Council

• Matthew Wood – Growth and Infrastructure Lead. Matt is the Hertfordshire County Council lead for the Gilston Area development.  He ensures liaison and collaboration in relation to county matters, including on the masterplan workstreams.
• Roger Flowerday – Transport Lead. Roger is the Hertfordshire County Council lead for the Gilston Area development in relation to strategic transport planning.  He ensures liaison and collaboration in relation to county highways matters.

Places for People

• Philip Murphy. Phil is the main contact at Quod who are planning agents for PfP.  

Taylor Wimpey

• Will Lusty. Will is the main contact at Savills who are planning agents for Taylor Wimpey.