5.122 The vision for the Stansted/M11 sub-region is to create a sustainable employment-led growth corridor, conserving and delivering a high quality environment by capitalising on its role as a key aviation gateway, realising its potential for sustainable growth and regeneration, and capitalising on its potential as a focus for hi-tech, knowledge-based employment, related to the Cambridge clusters and London.

5.123 Most of the measures needed to realise this vision are embodied in the overall spatial strategy and regional transport strategy. However, a range of approaches specific to the Stansted/M11 sub-region will be needed:

Policy ST1: spatial strategy

To deliver the Stansted/M11 strategy, local development documents and related strategies will provide for:

• restraint on development, except for provision for identified local needs or strategic transport improvements, in the following rural areas:

- east of the M11, with the exception of strategic growth at North Weald

5.124 The strategy is to:

• focus major strategic growth within and around Harlow, to deliver economic growth allied with significant regeneration within the existing urban area and ensure that the new development is phased and planned so as to be supportive of regeneration

• focus also on regeneration of the Upper Lee Valley

• link these regeneration-led growth areas via a ‘transport and regeneration led corridors’ approach to attract inward investment, and provide new public transport infrastructure to promote regeneration and service sustainable growth. This will provide a corridor of development up the Lee Valley, northwards through North Weald and Harlow towards Stansted Airport

Policy ST2: employment generation and economic regeneration

Local development documents will provide for at least two new strategic employment sites,

one north of Harlow and another, of 25 hectares, in the North Weald area, phased over the

period 2001-2011.

5.133 Harlow is over-dependent upon large employers, but also has a substantial small and medium sized enterprises (SME) sector. Employment growth must cater for small business growth by providing a variety of small to medium units offering opportunities for expansion.

Policy ST4: strategic growth locations

The sub-region will provide for a net increase of 35,050 new dwellings 2001-2021 in excess of existing capacity and commitments. Provision will be made at the following strategic locations:

Settlement/strategic location District 2001-2021

North Weald Epping Forest 6,000

5.136 Future housing growth will be delivered at a number of broad locations (‘strategic growth locations’) identified in this sub-regional strategy, with the remainder to be identified through local development documents. The strategic growth locations are:

• North Weald – the airfield and surrounding land provides a major strategic opportunity for mixed development on part greenfield/brownfield land. It affords potential for high quality mixed-use housing/employment development to attract inward investment and an enhanced economic base to stimulate regeneration of Harlow. The strategy makes provision for it to accommodate up to 6,000 new dwellings up to 2021

5.137 Delivery of the strategic growth locations will require significant passenger transport improvements along two axes:

• north-south, linking key centres including Epping, North Weald, Harlow East, Harlow town centre, Harlow Town Station and Stansted Airport

5.138 Major growth at North Weald will require improvements to junction 7 of M11 to facilitate access and improved east-west movement. Development at Harlow East will require major improvements to the transportation infrastructure and public transport provision in Harlow. Transport improvements and the need for new road infrastructure will be examined in studies and be provided through local development documents, and will be informed by a strategic framework to be prepared.

5.141 The sub-regional spatial strategy will require consequential changes to the boundaries of the Metropolitan Green Belt in accordance with policy SS7. It would be desirable to make compensating additions to green belt in areas beyond the districts directly affected including East Hertfordshire. Local authorities should cooperate to identify the most appropriate locations for these additions and bring forward proposals in the appropriate local development document.

Policy ST6: transportation

Subject to the outcome of further transport studies, the sub-regional transport priorities are:

• provision of park and ride facilities at North Weald and Harlow Town Station to provide for high quality passenger transport access to Harlow town centre and Stansted Airport

• provision of a high quality public transport link between Epping, North Weald, Harlow and Stansted Airport, with related route options for serving Sawbridgeworth and Bishop’s Stortford

• a study of longer term public transport access improvements between London, North Weald and Harlow

5.143 Pending this further work, the sub-regional transport strategy is to:

• support strategic growth at Harlow/North Weald, Bishop’s Stortford and Great Dunmow

5.145 High quality passenger transport links, possibly using segregated routes, are needed:

• north-south from Epping, North Weald and Harlow to Stansted Airport, with related route options serving Sawbridgeworth and Bishop’s Stortford