****EPPING SOCIETY STATEMENT REGARDING PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF OLD PASTURES
- Jan 12
- 5 min read
First of all we would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year.
As many of you will be aware yet another development is in the works and set to blight our landscape and community. We feel that Epping has be far done our bit towards any housing shortages and enough is enough. Furthermore there has not been enough scrutiny to establish vested interests among officials who are part of the decision making process. We would urge as many of you as possible to raise your objections to this proposal by going to the link below. The deadline is 28th January so not long. Once this ancient and beautiful land is gone, it will be gone for ever. We can not allow this eco vandalism to prevail.
Old Pastures is located on the eastern edge of Epping, adjacent to Stonards Hill Recreation Ground. It is predominantly open land, with mature trees and areas historically used by the public for informal recreation. The surrounding area includes Ancient Woodland and two Conservation Areas within 0.5 km.
The site is subject to a Public Rights of Way (PRoW) application registered with Essex County Council, which seeks to formalise long-standing public access across the land. This process remains unresolved and should be fully considered before any planning decision is made.
The site has also undergone significant ground disturbance, with hedges removed and land ploughed approximately two years ago - prior to the wildlife and ecological assessments. This affects the accuracy of baseline environmental data.
The proposal seeks outline planning permission for up to 80 homes, with associated car parking, play areas, green infrastructure and pedestrian and cycling links. As an outline application with some matters reserved, detailed layout, scale, appearance, landscaping and access are yet to be determined.
The site is not allocated in the adopted Local Plan and lies within the Green Belt. Public consultation indicates strong local opposition. The timing of the consultation - over Christmas and New Year - was particularly challenging for residents, effectively reducing the opportunity for considered responses.
Given the current uncertainty around EFDC governance, including impending replacement of the Council and lack of local elections this year, there is concern over the appropriateness of determining a major Green Belt application at this time.
Green Belt, Grey Belt and National Policy
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) gives Green Belt strong protection to prevent urban sprawl, stop neighbouring settlements merging, safeguard the countryside from encroachment, preserve historic settings, and encourage development on non-Green Belt land. New housing in the Green Belt is regarded as inappropriate unless strict national policy tests are met.
The NPPF allows limited development on so-called “grey belt” land only where the land makes a minimal contribution to Green Belt purposes and where development would not undermine the remaining Green Belt. The applicant has failed to demonstrate this. The site is open land on the edge of Epping and performs an important Green Belt function in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment. The proposal will extend the town into open countryside and therefore conflicts with the fundamental purposes of the Green Belt. Notably, the applicant’s own Table 3.2 concedes that the development “can be perceived as an encroachment.”
The applicant’s reliance on the “Golden Rules” set out in paragraphs 156 - 158 of the NPPF is misplaced. These provisions apply only once land has first been properly justified for release from the Green Belt and do not override Green Belt policy. While the proposed 50% affordable housing provision is acknowledged, this benefit cannot outweigh the permanent harm caused to the Green Belt where the grey belt test has not been met.
Outline Application and Lack of Certainty
This is an outline planning application with key matters reserved, including full details of layout, scale, appearance, landscaping and access. Granting permission at this stage would approve the principle of development without sufficient detail to properly assess Green Belt openness, landscape impact, transport safety or visual harm. Given the sensitivity of the site, this approach is inappropriate and undermines meaningful public scrutiny.
Local Plan and Landscape Policy
The site is not allocated for development in the adopted Local Plan. Despite repeated references to Local Plan policies, the proposal fails to comply with key requirements, particularly Policy SP2, which seeks to enhance the natural landscape. While the Planning Statement states compliance, the applicant’s own Landscape and Visual Appraisal acknowledges negative landscape and visual effects on sensitive receptors, including Public Right of Way 18, Stonards Hill, the recreation ground, the Epping Ongar Heritage Railway, and nearby dwellings. Reliance on future planting to reduce harm does not constitute landscape enhancement and confirms non-compliance with SP2.
Accuracy and Reliability of Submitted Information
The Final Stonards Hill Planning Statement (03 December 2025) states that the adjacent recreation ground includes a cycle speedway track. This facility has not existed for over 40 years. This factual inaccuracy raises serious concerns regarding the accuracy of the baseline information used to inform the Planning Statement and associated assessments. Where baseline conditions are incorrect, conclusions relating to recreation provision, green infrastructure and movement patterns are unreliable.
Further concerns include inaccessible document formats, plans published without keys or legends and insufficient detail regarding proposed pedestrian infrastructure. Proposed routes through the recreation ground lack clarity on land ownership, delivery, legality and whether discussions have taken place with Epping Town Council, who control access and permissions. This lack of transparency undermines confidence in the assessment and decision-making process.
Transport, Access and Sustainability
Claims regarding sustainable travel are overstated. Walking and cycling assessments rely on optimistic assumptions that fail to account for steep gradients, fast and busy roads and safety concerns. Cycling in particular is unrealistic given the nature of Stonards Hill, a point reflected in the applicant’s own low projected cycling mode share. Public transport assessments omit critical issues such as peak-time capacity, station congestion, parking stress and Central Line service reliability.
Vehicle trip impacts appear underestimated, particularly given the likely commuting patterns of future residents. Concerns remain regarding the capacity and safety of the Stonards Hill at the High Road junction and the impact on surrounding residential roads - already used as rat-runs.
Environmental, Heritage, and Access Issues
The site lies close to Conservation Areas, contains Ancient Woodland and has recognised archaeological potential, as confirmed by Essex County Council Archaeology. Proposed paths through sensitive areas contradict earlier commitments to protection. In addition, longstanding informal public use of the land has not been properly addressed, nor has the status of any potential Public Rights of Way been resolved. Determining the application without resolving these matters would risk prejudicing public access rights.
Conclusion
The proposal is an inappropriate development in the Green Belt. The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the site is genuine grey belt land or that development would not undermine Green Belt purposes. The reliance on the Golden Rules is misplaced, the outline nature of the application prevents proper assessment of harm, and the submission contains internal inconsistencies and factual inaccuracies that undermine its credibility. The resulting harm to the Green Belt, landscape, accessibility and local infrastructure is not outweighed by the claimed benefits.
I completely oppose planning on this site. It’s the most beautiful green grassland site and Epping cannot control any more traffic than it already has and the residents here moved here because of this land it’s peace and tranquility.
My husband and I have walked our dog round these pastures for the past ten years and live very close by Kings Wood Park. We are devastated that these beautiful pastures are in danger of being concreted over with Croudace only interested in making money, no interest at all about preserving the green belt. Croudace of course will no doubt sell the land off if they get planning permission as the land will be worth so much more, who knows how this could turn out! It is scandalous that so much green belt can be downgraded with a tick box exercise.. we will have none left!