The Government's plans to scrap Public Health England (PHE) have sparked worries Harlow where the agency's £400 million public health science campus and headquarters is due to be built.
PHE has refused to confirm plans for the campus will still go ahead, claiming it is no longer in a position to comment as it is now a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care.
Demolition work has already begun at the former GlaxoSmithKane (GSK) site in Elizabeth Way – about 1.5 miles from the town centre.
PHE said in its annual report that the campus, due to be operational by 2025 and fully completed by 2031, would be "world-leading" and provide almost 2,500 jobs on-site and many more during construction.
Harlow councillors are worried the plans for the campus may be scrapped. Photo: PHE
Mark Ingall, leader of the council, said he will write to health secretary Matt Hancock to seek reassurances that the campus will still be built and for an update on what changes there may be.
"I think people are worried about how this might affect the town," said Mr Ingall.
"It's probably the most important development in Harlow since Harlow existed. But I want to allay people's fears.
"Whilst Public Health England may not continue to exist, the work still needs to be done, the premises still need to be found and Harlow still is in the best place to deliver for that."
He added: “Therefore we will be seeking urgent reassurances and an update from the government and Public Health England on what the changes to the organisation could mean for the public health science campus and headquarters in Harlow."
Public Health England has been scrapped by the Government to make way for a new health body. Photo: PHE
The new National Institute for Health Protection, the body that will replace PHE, will respond to health threats including infectious diseases, pandemics and biologic weapons.
It will merge the Covid response work of PHE, NHS Test and Trace and the Joint Biosecurity Centre in the "first step towards becoming a single organisation", the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.
PHE bought the vacan 40-acre site in Harlow for £25 million in 2017 and was granted outline planning permission the same year.
Mr Ingall said a construction skills centre opened there last year.
The town had pinned much of its Covid-19 economic recovery on the proposal. Photo: PHE
"Since January of this year there's a lot of demolition been taking place ready for the build and the final detailed planning application is pretty much due any moment now," he said.
"It's hugely important. We're expecting some 2,450 jobs to be created on that site and they're not just scientific jobs, there's all the associated trades that go with running a huge establishment like that.
"It's massively important and it's actually formed an important plank in our local plan and our strategic development of the town for the next 20 to 30 years.
"It's massively, massively important but we can't see any reason why it wouldn't still be going ahead.
"It was ideally placed for Public Health England, it'll be ideally placed for the National Institute for Health Protection as well."
PHE has science campuses at Chilton in Oxfordshire, Colindale in north London and Porton Down near Salisbury.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.
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