Harlow in Essex includes Harlow town, Church Langley, and Old Harlow. Approximately 15.2% of the district is Green Belt, shaping development at the urban edges. Known for post-war New Town planning, historic buildings, and green spaces, planning balances urban growth with conservation.
In the last year Harlow decided 287 applications which is well below the national average of 959. The approval rate was 83% (slightly below the national average of 88%) and 61% of applications were decided on time, (on par with the national average of 58%). Stats updated Sept 2026 from gov.uk sources. See how Harlow performs relative to other LPAs in our LPA hub.
15.2% of Harlow is within the Green Belt and proposals in these areas can be subject to high levels of scrutiny.
The Green Belt around Harlow protects farmland, woodlands, and village edges near Roydon and Epping, highly sensitive to housing pressures.
In our experience, one of the top reasons poorly conceived Green Belt proposals are refused is causing 'harm to openness'. We can lower the risk of refusal with site-specific guidance. Contact us here.
You can also check whether your land is within the Green Belt using our interactive Green Belt map.
In addition to acting as Planning Consultants we are ARB registered architects with 25+ years of experience. We provide a full range of planning services, including:
We specialise in resolving complex planning challenges through thoughtful architectural design, turning constrained or difficult sites into successful Planning Permission outcomes. Let’s discuss your project.
Harlow in Essex includes Harlow town, Church Langley, and Old Harlow. Approximately 15.2% of the district is Green Belt, shaping development at the urban edges. Known for post-war New Town planning, historic buildings, and green spaces, planning balances urban growth with conservation.
In the last year Harlow decided 287 applications which is well below the national average of 959. The approval rate was 83% (slightly below the national average of 88%) and 61% of applications were decided on time, (on par with the national average of 58%). Stats updated Sept 2026 from gov.uk sources. See how Harlow performs relative to other LPAs in our LPA hub.
15.2% of Harlow is within the Green Belt and proposals in these areas can be subject to high levels of scrutiny.
The Green Belt around Harlow protects farmland, woodlands, and village edges near Roydon and Epping, highly sensitive to housing pressures.
In our experience, one of the top reasons poorly conceived Green Belt proposals are refused is causing 'harm to openness'. We can lower the risk of refusal with site-specific guidance. Contact us here.
You can also check whether your land is within the Green Belt using our interactive Green Belt map.
In addition to acting as Planning Consultants we are ARB registered architects with 25+ years of experience. We provide a full range of planning services, including:
We specialise in resolving complex planning challenges through thoughtful architectural design, turning constrained or difficult sites into successful Planning Permission outcomes. Let’s discuss your project.
