Harlow Council seeks injunction over missing S106 housing plans

Developers agreed to provide a sports complex, allotments and retail units at Gilden Park (pictured top)

A council says it is seeking a High Court injunction because community facilities have not yet been built at a new development in Essex.

Residents have already moved into Gilden Park in Harlow, where more than 1,000 homes have been built.

Harlow Council said builders had failed to provide sports pitches, allotments, a community centre and retail units.

The developers apologised for the delay and said they were "fully committed" to completing the work.

A planned new primary school has not been built either.

Residents have already moved into the homes at Gilden Park in north east Harlow

Conservative Harlow councillor Michael Hardware, portfolio holder for economic development, said developers had not met "their end of the bargain".

"It is unfortunate that it has come to this," he said.

"We must stand up for those residents who have moved in to Gilden Park and currently have no local facilities."

Under the so-called Section 106 agreements - as part of the planning permission granted by Harlow Council - the developers Persimmon, Barratt David Wilson and Taylor Wimpey were supposed to provide a series of amenities.

The council said the three developers failed to provide an "enforceable and realistic programme" when they were asked for an update on the works in June.

'Move forward'

The council said it had asked the High Court for permission to bring the injunction application, which would stop anyone moving into Gilden Park until the works are complete.

A spokesman for the Gilden Park consortium said they "recognised" people's frustrations and apologised for incomplete facilities.

"We are fully committed to delivering these facilities for residents and have been in discussions with Harlow Council in recent months in order to move this forward," he said.

"We remain eager to work with the council so that we can deliver all the facilities as quickly as possible."

The spokesman claimed Harlow Council failed to reply when the consortium invited it to a meeting to discuss the work in June.

Meanwhile, Essex County Council (ECC) said the developers had not provided a "suitable site" for the new primary school being planned.

An ECC spokesman said: "We welcome pressure on the developer to sort the agreed infrastructure for the development."