Harlow Gateway Site

Barratt Developments PLC
17 July 2006


17 July 2006

                                  Harlow Gateway

                      Barratt acquires major M11 corridor
                         site for a new £100m community


English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, has chosen Barratt to
build over 500 homes at Harlow, Essex - one of the key towns in the M11
corridor.

The 27-acre site lies on the northen edge of the town centre and is known as
'Harlow Gateway' due to its outstanding position alongside the main A414 road to
Chelmsford and close to Harlow's mainline railway station.

The land, which is redundant sports ground, was acquired from English
Partnerships with outline planning consent for 530 homes worth around £100m.
Barratt has now submitted an application to Harlow District Council for the
first phase of building.

Barratt Group Chief Executive David Pretty said: 'This is an outstanding
acquisition for us, paving the way for a complete new community in one of the
most convenient towns in the South East. It enables us to do what we do best -
recycle disused land into high-quality homes in an area of great demand.

'Harlow is in the heart of the M11 corridor, which the Government has identified
as a target area for housing expansion in the South East. Our Harlow Gateway
regeneration will show that much of this vital new homes development can be done
on recycled, redundant land, making it a great economic and social asset to the
town.'

Steve Collins, Senior Regeneration Manager for English Partnerships, said: 'The
Harlow Gateway development will be a significant catalyst for future
regeneration and investment in Harlow and will help to create a vibrant new
community in this growing town.'

Barratt is working with Essex-based Grafik Architects Ltd to create a range of
houses and apartments to stylish contemporary designs specific to the Harlow
Gateway site, which borders Fifth Avenue at Burnt Mill.

A public consultation programme will get under way shortly and the company hopes
to be in a position to launch the first phase of the development at the annual
Harlow Town Show in September, which it is sponsoring.
In recent years, Barratt has played an important role in the planned growth of
Harlow, which is less than a hour from London by road and rail and is an
important commuter town.

As well as making major contributions to the larger-scale developments on the
eastern side of town, such as Church Langley and Newhall - where the company's
contemporary townhouses won a number of design awards - Barratt recently
completed City Links, a development of 84 apartments on recycled railway land.
Currently underway is Prospect Royal, a development of 91 one and two bedroom
apartments close to Old Harlow.

                                      ENDS

Further information (media only): 
Group Press Officer 
Robert Barlow                                                       01440 783636
                                                           [e-mail]




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