After two decades of legal battles and planning bottlenecks, the first bricks will finally be laid on a groundbreaking project dubbed as the blueprint for future community building in Britain. The seven-village network, known as Gilston, spans 660-hectare of country parks and woodland in east Hertfordshire.
A £1 billion infrastructure budget is being injected into this former green belt site to create a modern extension of Harlow in Essex, one of Britain's original post-war new towns. The vision for Gilston has been years in the making, with its £1 billion infrastructure budget front-loaded. Unlike traditional developments where housing often follows infrastructure as an afterthought, Gilston's design is centered around providing its residents with a more sustainable and connected community.
Greg Reed, chief executive of Places for People, led this 20-year journey that started when his 20-year-old son was born. He admits that it has been "a bit depressing" to see the progress made during this time. Reed emphasizes that Gilston is not just about providing affordable housing but also about creating a vibrant community that includes social housing, shared ownership, and outright sales.
The project will deliver approximately 8,500 homes out of its 10,000 target. It is set to be completed in 2050, with the first homes starting to move into the site within the next few years. Gilston represents a £6 billion boost to the UK economy and the creation of over 2,000 permanent jobs.
The project's vision is centered around providing its residents with a more sustainable community that includes two secondary schools, seven primary schools, health centers, leisure facilities, and plenty of parks. The design prioritizes pedestrian-friendly spaces and reject the car-centric model of suburban development common in the late 20th century.
A £1 billion infrastructure budget is being injected into this former green belt site to create a modern extension of Harlow in Essex, one of Britain's original post-war new towns. The vision for Gilston has been years in the making, with its £1 billion infrastructure budget front-loaded. Unlike traditional developments where housing often follows infrastructure as an afterthought, Gilston's design is centered around providing its residents with a more sustainable and connected community.
Greg Reed, chief executive of Places for People, led this 20-year journey that started when his 20-year-old son was born. He admits that it has been "a bit depressing" to see the progress made during this time. Reed emphasizes that Gilston is not just about providing affordable housing but also about creating a vibrant community that includes social housing, shared ownership, and outright sales.
The project will deliver approximately 8,500 homes out of its 10,000 target. It is set to be completed in 2050, with the first homes starting to move into the site within the next few years. Gilston represents a £6 billion boost to the UK economy and the creation of over 2,000 permanent jobs.
The project's vision is centered around providing its residents with a more sustainable community that includes two secondary schools, seven primary schools, health centers, leisure facilities, and plenty of parks. The design prioritizes pedestrian-friendly spaces and reject the car-centric model of suburban development common in the late 20th century.
! this gilston project is a total game changer for britain - affordable housing, sustainable living, and tons of amenities 
it's about time we shift away from those car-centric suburbs that are so bad for the environment 
. i'm hyped to see this £1 billion investment bring in new jobs and stimulate the local economy 
2050 can't come soon enough... let's get building! 
... another £1 billion investment into a massive housing project that's gonna put more cars on British roads 
. Think about it, they're already planning for like 2050 to be done with this and it's only supposed to create over 2k jobs 
... and we're still struggling to make ends meet 
. Not exactly the kind of community I'd want to live in 
I'm intrigued by Gilston's approach to community building - it's like they're flipping traditional subs on their head! By putting housing at the forefront, they're trying to create a more sustainable and connected vibe. It's all about community, not just some random homes 
. The fact that there are two secondary schools, seven primary schools, and plenty of parks sounds amazing for kids and families 
. Can't wait to see how it all comes together by 2050 
!
! It's crazy to think it took 20 years to get here, but I think it's so worth it. This Gilston community sounds like a total game-changer for east Hertfordshire - who wouldn't want to live in a place with sustainable homes, parks, schools, and health centers? 
. Plus, 8,500 homes out of 10,000 is a pretty cool target to aim for! Can't wait to see this project come together and become a model for future community building 
, can you believe it's been 20 years in the making?! Gilston is looking like a total game-changer for sustainable community building in Britain! Interesting how they're focusing on delivering affordable housing, social housing, and shared ownership... it's all about creating a vibrant community, not just building homes 
. Can't wait to see this project come to life in 2050 
.
. But seriously, who needs a £1 billion budget for infrastructure? It sounds like they're trying to 'house' all their problems in one place 
. 8,500 homes and over 2,000 jobs is no joke, but it's gonna be interesting to see how this whole community thing works out. I mean, can you imagine not having a car for once? It's like the ultimate British experiment – will they actually use all those parks and leisure facilities? 
!! like for real, a £1 billion budget is SO needed to make this thing actually happen instead of just throwing some half baked designs at us and calling it a day 
But seriously, it's about time we get sustainable communities that don't suck the life outta nature 
! It's like, finally we're seeing a community that's all about people, not just buildings and cars. I mean, £1 billion for infrastructure is crazy, but think about it - 8,500 homes, two secondary schools, seven primary schools... it's like a mini-village in the making 
!
. I get that they wanna create a sustainable community and all that jazz, but what about the parking? Won't we just end up with more congestion on our roads? And have you seen those plans for the parks? They're nice and all, but aren't they just gonna be a bunch of fancy footpaths and bike lanes? Where's the green space for actual picnics or something? 
I guess what I'm saying is, while I can appreciate the vision, let's not forget that we still gotta live with the practicalities here 
Anyway, I do think it's cool that they're prioritizing pedestrian-friendly spaces and all that jazz 
. But let's not get too carried away here - is this really just a PR stunt to make us feel better about overcrowding? 