*This article is based on information as of February 2026.

1. Frederick Gibbard's Urban Philosophy: The "Green Wedge" and the Practice of Modernism

When talking about Harrow New Town, it is essential to mention the architect who drew up the master plan, Sir Frederick Gibberd. His urban planning was revolutionary in that it brought a uniquely British "picturesque" aesthetic to modern urban planning, which tends to be dominated by functionalism.

Starting as the flagship of "Mark One"

In 1946, immediately after World War II, the British government enacted the New Towns Act. Based on this, the first generation of new towns designated around London from 1946 to 1950 were called "Mark One."

Of these, Harrow was officially designated on March 25, 1947, and positioned as the most ambitious and experimental city. At the time, London had been devastated by war, and overcrowding had become a serious social problem. Gibbard's mission was not simply to provide housing, but to create from scratch a "self-contained community" where people could live decent lives.

The initial planned population was 60,000, but in response to the tight housing demand in London, it was raised to 80,000 in the revised plan of 1952. Gibbard's ideas are reflected in this flexible expansion plan.

Landscape First: How the "Green Wedge" Works

Gibbard's greatest planning innovation was the creation of urban structures called "Green Wedges," which are radically different from mere parks or green spaces.

Usually, green spaces in cities are placed to fill in the gaps between buildings, but in Harlow, they did the opposite. First, they respected the natural topography, existing valleys, and old tree-lined streets, preserving them as the skeleton of the city. Then they fitted the neighborhoods into that green skeleton.

This "wedge" radiates from the city center and serves three important functions:

• Physical Separation and Coupling:Each residential area will be clearly demarcated by green spaces, while being organically connected by pedestrian and bicycle paths.
• Access to nature:No matter which house you live in, you can access an authentic natural environment within a few minutes' walk.
• Historical Preservation:By preserving the old village of "Old Harrow" that existed before development and the existing trees, the "inhumanity" that is typical of emerging cities will be alleviated.

Even more remarkable is Gibbard's integration of waterscapes and architecture, as seen in "The Water Gardens." The map below shows the Town Center area, where Gibbard's design ideas remain prominent.

"Great art on every street corner"

Another side of Harrow is its role as a "sculpture town."

"I want people who don't go to museums to be able to experience first-class art in their daily lives," said Gibbard, whose belief led to the systematic installation of public art starting in the 1950s. The collection now numbers over 100 pieces (reports from the Harlow Art Trust and others state that there are over 90), including works by masters such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Auguste Rodin, and Elisabeth Frink, whose works are often featured in art textbooks.

What is particularly noteworthy is that these were not placed in heavily guarded areas, but rather in places where children play, such as the courtyards of housing complexes or the plazas of shopping streets. This was an extremely democratic attempt to elevate art from a "highly-appreciated object" to the "shared property (commons) of the citizens."

2. From Prosperity to Stagnation: Lessons from "Newtown Blues"

The 1950s and 1960s saw Harrow's golden age. Young couples flocked to the area from London, attracted by its modern homes, excellent infrastructure, and abundant green space. In 1951, "The Lawn," one of Britain's first tower blocks after the war, was built and became a symbol of modernism. The birth rate was three times the national average, earning the area the nickname "Plum Town."

However, this glory did not last long, and in the late 1970s and 1980s the city entered a period of serious stagnation.

Why did the city lose its vitality?

The challenges faced by Harlow are very similar to those currently facing new towns in Japan.

First, infrastructure is destined to collapse at the same time, as "things built at the same time" do. Concrete houses, which were constructed in large numbers in a short period of time, all needed to be replaced after 50 years. The buildings at the time had poor insulation performance, and maintenance costs put a strain on the household budgets of residents.

Second, the dissolution of the development corporation and the dissipation of its assets. When the development corporation was dissolved in 1980, profitable assets such as commercial facilities were sold to the private sector. This has been pointed out as having weakened the city's ability to manage the entire town in a unified manner.

3. A dramatic turning point in the 2020s: a scientific and cultural reboot

But Harlow isn't finished. As we enter the 2020s, the city is embarking on a wave of unprecedented investment and transformation, driven by science and culture.

Relocating the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA): Attracting a national project

On 17 July 2025, a historic decision was made for Harrow, when the UK Government formally confirmed that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Science Campus Hub would be relocated to Harrow.

This is not just a government office relocation. It is a huge project to consolidate research facilities that were previously scattered around the country and build a world-leading infectious disease research center. The specific impacts are as follows:

• Investing in UKHSA:The initial investment alone is more than 250 million pounds (£250m).
• Job creation:Approximately 1,600 highly skilled professionals are expected to be stationed during the construction phase, and approximately 2,750 once operations begin.
• Investing in urban regeneration:Separately, the city has received 20 million pounds (£20 million: approximately 3.8 billion yen) from the government's Levelling Up Fund, which will be used to redevelop the arts and culture district.

This project positions Harrow as one of the key hubs in the UK Innovation Corridor linking Cambridge and London, transforming the former working town into a city for scientists.

Harlow & Gilston Garden Town (HGGT) Scheme

Furthermore, the redefinition of Harrow as a "garden town" is also progressing in residential development. In the wider area including Harrow and its surrounding areas (such as the Gilston district), plans are in place to supply approximately 16,000 new homes by 2033, with a total of over 23,000 homes planned in the future.

On January 9, 2025, plans for a 10,000-home development in the Gilston area were officially approved. This is a large-scale community development consisting of seven "villages," and rather than simply expanding residential areas, it is a next-generation development that prioritizes sustainability and the preservation of green spaces.

4. Data on the transformation of Harlow and a comparison of Japan and the UK

Here, we use objective data to visualize the transformation of Harlow and the differences between it and new towns in Japan.

Demographic trends and forecasts: Signs of a V-shaped recovery

The graph below shows the population trends in Harlow. Between 2011 and 2021, the population increased by 13.91 TP3T. In terms of future projections, the ONS (Office for National Statistics) base scenario predicts a flat population, but if large-scale housing supply by HGGT is realized, it is planned to reach 100,000.

Japan and the UK: The crucial difference between new towns

What makes Harlow different from Japan's Tama New Town and the housing complexes in Hokkaido?

5. Proposal for Toyako Town, Hokkaido: "Design of Relationships"

The Harlow case is by no means a fantasy from a faraway country. It contains extremely practical hints for regional cities in Hokkaido, such as Toyako Town, which are facing population decline, an aging population, and a harsh natural environment.

How to understand the dual management costs of "snow" and "green"

Harlow's "Green Wedge" is a successful example, but to apply it directly to Hokkaido, the variable of "snow" must be taken into consideration. As examples such as the Oasa Danchi complex in Ebetsu City show, excessively large green spaces directly lead to increased snow removal and disposal burdens in winter.

But what if we change our perspective? In Toyako Town, it is possible to redefine green spaces not simply as a landscape, but as "variable infrastructure" that functions both as a snow dump in winter and as a tourist and recreational facility from spring to autumn. Just as Harlow incorporated "valleys" into the urban structure, Hokkaido needs to incorporate "snow" as part of its urban structure at the design level.

Shifting art from "tourism" to "lifestyle": Creating a connected population

Lake Toya already has a wonderful asset called the "Lake Toya Sculpture Park," which is a row of 58 sculptures. Harlow's lesson is not to make this just for tourists, but to make it a "part of life" that local residents come into contact with on a daily basis.

Specifically, the following measures can be considered to incorporate the "related population."

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