Old Pastures: Why Every Objection Matters — And What Epping Stands to Lose
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
The deadline for public comments on the Old Pastures development — Planning Application EPF/2477/25 — closes on 23 July, and this is a moment Epping cannot afford to ignore.
The Epping Society is urging every resident who cares about the character, safety and future of our town to submit objections while there is still time. This consultation is not a formality. It is the community’s last meaningful chance to influence a decision that will permanently reshape the eastern edge of Epping.
🚫 What’s at Stake
Old Pastures is not simply another plot on a map. It is part of our Green Belt, a landscape that protects Epping from unchecked sprawl and preserves the rural setting that makes our town unique. Once this land is built on, it is gone forever — and the precedent it sets will make future incursions far easier.
The proposed development also does not appear in the Local Plan allocation, meaning it has not been assessed or approved as part of Epping’s long‑term, strategic growth. Allowing it through now would undermine the integrity of the planning process and open the door to speculative, piecemeal development.
And then there is the everyday reality residents already face:
Congested roads that cannot absorb more traffic
Pressure on schools, GP surgeries and parking
Drainage and infrastructure already stretched thin
Adding further housing here will intensify these problems dramatically.
✉️ How to Object
You can submit objections by email to: appcomment@eppingforestdc.gov.uk Please quote reference EPF/2477/25.
Alternatively click here
Residents may submit more than one objection, and each can focus on a different issue — congestion, Green Belt harm, lack of Local Plan allocation, infrastructure strain, environmental impact, loss of rural character and more.
⚠️ Why Your Voice Matters
Planning decisions are influenced by evidence, policy and — crucially — the volume and substance of public objections. If residents stay silent, the developer’s narrative becomes the only one on record.
If we speak up, clearly and in numbers, councillors must confront the reality: this proposal is not wanted, not appropriate and not in Epping’s long‑term interest.
If this development goes ahead, Epping will lose a vital green buffer, face worsening congestion, and set a dangerous precedent for further Green Belt erosion. The town will become more crowded, less safe, and less able to cope with the demands placed upon it.
🟩 This Is the Moment
The consultation closes on 23 July. After that, the opportunity to influence the outcome disappears.
Please take a few minutes to send your objections — and encourage neighbours, friends and family to do the same. Protecting Epping is a shared responsibility, and every voice strengthens the case.
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