LOCAL PLANNING MATTERS
Green Belt Fields behind Theydon Bois Station, Abridge Road EPF/0354/26 Outline application with all matters reserved to build up to 150 new homes on the 2 agricultural green belt fields behind Theydon Bois station. TBAG has submitted a strong objection on numerous grounds.
Blunts Farm Barns change of use from agricultural to B8 storage and associated development EPF/1406/22 TBAG is fully aware that various commercial/industrial activities have been taking place on this site for some time without planning permission. EFDC Planning Enforcement are aware of this situation. Following the refusal of permission, the applicant raised an appeal with the Planning Inspector. TBAG submitted a strong objection to the planning inspector on grounds of inappropriate development in the green belt and harm to openness. Also, we regard the site as unsustainable, being connected to the Abridge Road by the narrow, winding, historic Coopersale Lane. Local residents may be aware of frequent traffic congestion experienced when travelling along Coopersale Lane as a result of a variety of large vehicles which already access the site due to intensification of use which will be worse if 30 units for “storage” are approved.
Land north of Forest Drive. Erection of 38 residential dwellings with access from Forest Drive, and provision of associated open space, services and landscaping EPF/0292/21 One of the 43 conditions attached to this permission is that no works of clearance to be undertaken before the works were agreed by EFDC. Unfortunately, this condition was not adhered to, and the developers have jumped the gun and cleared away vast amounts of hedging and even removed branches from a protected tree without the prior approval of EFDC. The developers cleared the undergrowth early in March and would have done so to avoid the restrictions on such clearance in the spring/summer to protect nesting birds. The planning inspector at the examination in public for our Local Plan was very specific when considering this site being removed from the Green Belt, that the boundary with the remainder of the green belt needed to be “strengthened”.
PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY
In August 2025, TBAG reported the poor condition of several footpaths in the green belt surrounding the village, specifically three bridges over brooks. We are delighted to report that Essex Highways have confirmed that one bridge, on footpath 4, has now been listed for repair.
GOVERNMENT PLANNING SITUATION
TBAG has submitted its comments to the more recent Government planning consultation regarding amendments to the NPPF, specifically concerning Green Belt issues. The Government is determined to achieve its 1.5m housing target by degrading the protection of the green belt, ignoring brownfield first policy and ignoring the fact that there are already 1.4m extant planning permissions. At this rate there will be 3m extant planning permissions sat on by developers, land banking for their own future profits.
Following work by consultants Arup to assess land parcels against national GB purposes, the next stage is to evaluate specific parcels against the Government “grey belt” criteria. We are expecting a consultation on the methodology used to evaluate the above soon. The final green belt/grey belt review is expected by the end of this year.
The Epping Society report that a newly released NHS assessment has confirmed: “our local health services are already overstretched, under‑resourced, and physically too small to cope with the population we have today — let alone thousands more residents from ongoing development.” TBAG sincerely hopes that EFDC planning will take note of this when considering speculative planning applications in the green belt.