Epping Forest, stretching from East London to Epping, is facing unprecedented pressures from housing and commercial developments.
At the northern end of the Forest, Epping Forest’s District Council’s approved Local Plans include provision for a minimum of 1,000 homes at Latton Priory[1] north of Lower Woods and for a minimum of 450 homes on land immediately to the south of Epping [2]. At the southern end of the Forest, there are plans for up to 1,500 dwellings as part of the re-development of Whipps Cross[3] plus large-scale housing developments, mostly blocks of flats, in other areas of Waltham Forest. Alongside these are commercial developments such as those at Waltham Abbey.
All of these have the potential to affect the Forest through increased visitor numbers, increased traffic volumes, and both air and noise pollution. This is why, in our local election campaigns, we call on candidates to place the Forest’s wildlife, culture and heritage at the heart of planning decisions. Read our Love Epping Forest Manifesto blog to find out more.
Brief on key policy and planning issues
Solar Farm & Renewable Energy
We support the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure – the issue is siting, not technology. Brief on current approach, why it is risky, and our open letter to EFDC Councillors.
Green Belt is Not a Grey Area
Brief on the ‘Grey Belt’, a concept introduced by the Government to enable residential building on protected Green Belt as part of its initiative to increase the number of dwellings in England.
Buffer Land Brief
We were deeply concerned that the City renames the Epping Forest Buffers Lands as “Complementary Lands”, and in development of ‘Complimentary Lands Policy’ and ‘Complimentary Lands Appraisal‘.
What is the Trust doing about planning and policy issues?
The Trust needs to monitor and review planning proposals to ensure we identify ones that are potentially harmful to the Forest and seek to influence them or submit objections when and where appropriate.
We now have a small team of volunteers carrying out this work and are considering how best we can manage the significant amount of work it represents. These efforts are currently focused on Epping Forest District and Waltham Forest although developments in other local authorities also affect the Forest.
We are maintaining a watching brief on the large-scale developments mentioned above but also on smaller developments such as the proposed demolition of the County Hotel and construction of a 120-bedroom care home in Oak Hill, Woodford Green, right in middle of Forest land at Walthamstow Forest[4].
While such smaller developments will have a lesser impact, their location means that their impact can be more obvious and detrimental to the appearance and enjoyment of the Forest.
But we not only need to monitor planning proposals. If proposals have been approved, we also need to keep a watch on how the construction is being carried out to ensure that damage is not being done to the surrounding Forest in contravention of the planning conditions.
National Policies and framework
We maintain a watching brief on the regional and national policies that may affect the protection of nature spaces such as Epping Forest. We submit our responses, and also collaborate with partner organisations to advocate for the protection of the green belt and the Forest.
Click to find out more
Local developments and planning
We also monitoring local plannings large and small. We submit our responses and communicate with local decision makers. Although smaller developments will have a lesser impact, their location means that their impact can be more obvious and detrimental to the appearance and enjoyment of the Forest.
Click to find out more
What can you do to help?
Our members, and the public more generally, are the Trust’s “eyes and ears”. Members know their local patch and visit the Forest regularly and may pick up developments we have not identified. In particular, where a development has been approved within, or next to, Forest land, members living locally can play a vital role in keeping an eye on the construction to ensure that damage is not being done to the surrounding land.
The Trust will need to be pragmatic about how far it can influence proposals, and about which proposals it objects to, but we are clear that our primary role is to protect and conserve the Forest and we will act if we believe a proposal is detrimental to its future.
If you have any views on planning generally, on the proposed developments above or are able to assist, please contact us at policy@efht.org.uk
Let us know your views / share information
If you have any views on planning, or information about a developments we have not identified, please get in touch with us at: policy@efht.org.uk
Become a volunteer
We are always looking for volunteers to suppor our planning and advocacy work, from keeping an eye out for planning information to raise awareness of the Forest to key stakeholders.
Join EFHT as a Member
Becoming a member is the perfect way to demonstrate your love for Epping Forest. Together, your love for the Forest will help to protect this irreplaceable ancient Forest now and for generations to come.
Transport Schemes
Our policy and delivery work to encourage sustainable transport with partners and stakeholders including City of London Corporation, Transport for London, local boroughs and others, to reduce pollution and protect the Forest’s biodiversity and enjoyment by the public.
#LoveEppingForest Election Campaigns
Our campaigns to raise awareness of the Forest and ask candidates and councillors to pledge that they will show their love for the Forest in their decision-making. We have been running election campaigns since 2022.