EFDC published their Local Plan for future development in the Epping Forest District in September 2016. There was a Public Consultation between the end of October and 12th December, and the Council distributed leaflets to every household. Contentious issues include erosion of the Green Belt, and development on Station Car Parks, and have already caused outcry across the district.
In Buckhurst Hill, the Green Belt status of 1 Powell Road is proposed to be withdrawn, and 31 homes built. Earlier this year BHRS, the Parish Council, and local residents successfully fought proposals to build a Care Home on this site by McCarthy & Stone. We will continue to fight to preserve this site, which adjoins Linders Field Nature Reserve. The other two proposed sites are at either end of the subway under the railway, the car park at the bottom of Queens Road, 44 flats, and expanding the shops/flats on Lower Queens Road, 11 more flats, . Exactly what the Council propose on these sites is not yet clear.
Links
EFDC Draft Local Plan and Questionaire
Public Meeting 28th November 2016
The Residents' Society's Response
Additional comments after close of Public Consultation
Buckhurst Hill Parish Council Response
In July 2017, EFDC published a list of new and amended sites
In Buckhurst Hill there are two new sites,
Victoria House, Victoria Road IG9 5EX
Land at Lower Queens Road, IG9 6DS (this is mistakenly labelled as an amendment). We have been unable to identify this site; it is apparently not the same as the shops already included in the Local Plan).
The site at Queens Road Car Park has apparently been expanded by land to the rear of 16 Forest Edge and 7 Briar Close IG9 5EF
We are still awaiting exact details and maps for these sites.
In December 2017 EFDC published an amended version of the Local Plan, and at a meeting on 14th December, Councillors voted to submit this version to the Planning Inspectorate for its approval. Comments were invited from the Public for six weeks up to 29th January 2018.
The Residents' Society's Response to the Submission Version
We understand that the next step will be a Public Enquiry by a Planning Inspector, sometime after Autumn 2018, followed by further discussion by EFDC and a final vote to approve in 2019. Planning Applications for actual development may be submitted anytime during the life of the plan, up to fifteen years.