Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning application documents: what to read first
Understand planning application documents, officer reports and decision notices. Use a reading checklist, document table and worked example to inspect a case.
England · Local authority
Epping Forest planning applications
PlanningTrack collects planning applications and decisions from the public planning register of Epping Forest District Council. Also known as EFDC.Search an address, application reference or proposal. Official Epping Forest website
Collected application statistics
Collected records · All available dates53,639Searchable applications
419Recorded as pending
80%Approval rate · 45,605 approved or refused records
9,290Refused applications
36,315 approved · 9,290 refused · 2,901 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 2 Jul 1999 to 29 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 30 Oct 2026. Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.
Local planning information
Council sources checked 14 Sept 2026Planning information Planning and buildingLocal plan Planning and buildingPre-application advice Planning and buildingArticle 4 directions Planning and building
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions
Explore published planning boundaries and follow their source records for designation details. Coverage varies: an empty map does not mean there are no restrictions. Check the council’s current maps and documents before relying on a boundary.
Conservation areas25 mapped area records
Article 4 direction areasNo boundary records available in this collection
Interactive planning map loads with JavaScript. Dataset sources are linked below.
Download Article 4 coverage for all authorities (CSV)
Data downloaded 14 Sept 2026. Display boundaries are simplified and indicative. Map record counts are not a complete count of designations or directions.
Sources: Planning Data conservation areas and Article 4 direction areas. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
More application records
- Decision MadeEPF/1786/25
TPO/EPF/24/95 T1 T1: Beech - Reduce tree by half its size or felled
157 Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3AX
Received 1 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1787/25
Non-Material Amendment to EPF/1955/24 (Proposed roof extensions involving front and rear dormers to facilitate a Loft conversion involving the previously approved two storey extension, a rear swimming pool enclosure, enlargement of pool changing room and garage and new front access gate).
34, Traps Hill, Loughton, IG10 1SZ
Received 4 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1788/25
Non-Material Amendment to EPF/1058/24 (Demolition of existing conservatory and construction of new 2 storey rear extension).
34, Traps Hill, Loughton, IG10 1SZ
Received 4 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1790/25
Proposed two-storey side extension with garage conversion, single-storey rear extension, replacement of external windows and doors, front landscaping with driveway alterations, material upgrade to the existing rear dormer, and installation of rooflights to side roof planes.
56, Coolgardie Avenue, Chigwell, IG7 5AY
Received 4 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1789/25
Variation of Condition 2 `Plan Numbers' of EPF/0742/25 (Partial Single, Partial Double Storey Side & Rear Extension, First Floor Front Extension, External Alteration, Internal Reconfiguration and All Associated Works).
8, Loughton Way, Buckhurst Hill, IG9 6AA
Received 4 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1791/25
TPO/EPF/13/06 (Ref: T2) T1: Oak - Crown lift by up to 5m from ground, as specified. Crown reduce by up to 2.5m, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
Five Farthings, Nazeing Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2HU
Received 4 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1792/25
Proposed replacement of the Gable End Window to match the existing.
Spinney Croft, Workers Road, High Laver, Ongar, CM5 0DZ
Received 5 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1793/25
Certificate of Lawful Development for the proposed stationing of a mobile home within the residential curtilage.
Tree Tops, Lippitts Hill, Loughton, IG10 4AL
Received 5 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1794/25
Installation of roof mounted 58.70kW solar PV system comprising of 129 x Canadian Solar 455w modules.
Old Loughtonians Hockey Club, Luxborough Lane, Chigwell, IG7 5AB
Received 5 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1795/25
Approval of Details Reserved by Conditions 6, 14, 15, 17 and 18 of EPF/1773/23 (Demolition of an existing outbuilding and construction of five terraced chalet bungalows with associated shared surface and parking and adjusted access from Townmead Road).
Land to the side and rear of , 41 Townmead Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1RP
Received 5 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1796/25
Approval of Details Reserved by Conditions 4, 5, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of EPF/0302/25 (Construction of a detached self-build bungalow on land to the rear of 8 Sheering Mill Lane).
8, Sheering Mill Lane, Sheering, Harlow, CM21 9LP
Received 5 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1798/25
Change of use of garage into a living space at ground level, and the erection of a lower ground garage.
20, Dacre Gardens, Chigwell, IG7 5HG
Received 5 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1797/25
Variation of Condition 2 `Plan numbers' of EPF/1150/24 (Demolition of existing outbuildings and construction of an ancillary building to accommodate a laundry room, workshop, general storage and a covered parking area for 6 vehicles. As well as a generator and refuse storage area).
Pepper Alley, Mott Street, Waltham Abbey, IG10 4AP
Received 5 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1799/25
Certificate of Lawful Development for a proposed loft conversion with rear dormer.
67, Stradbroke Grove, Buckhurst Hill, IG9 5PE
Received 5 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1801/25
Erection of an outbuilding in the rear garden
Rayside, Oak Hill Road, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1EH
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1802/25
TPO/EPF/18/11 T1: Wellingtonia - Crown reduce height by up to 5m, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
67E, Palmerston Road, Buckhurst Hill,
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1803/25
Double storey side extension.
Greenways, Moreton Bridge, Moreton, Ongar, CM5 0LL
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1805/25
Certificate of lawful development for a proposed loft conversion with rear dormer.
29, Woburn Avenue, Theydon Bois, Epping, CM16 7JR
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1806/25
Staples Road Conservation Area T1: Lawsons Cypress - Fell.
25, Staples Road, Loughton, IG10 1HP
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1804/25
Proposed detached dwelling following demolition of existing garage.
Greenwood, Epping Road, Epping Upland, Epping, CM16 6PH
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1807/25
Certificate of Lawful Development for a proposed single storey rear extension.
44, Mannock Drive, Loughton, IG10 2JD
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1808/25
Approval of Details Reserved by Conditions 4 Levels, 5 Obsure glazing 7 EVP, 9 Biodiversity Enhancement Strategy, 11 Contaminated Land, 12 Construction Method Statement and 14 Hard and Soft Landscape of EPF/1129/23 (Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of 2 x 4 bedrooms semidetached dwelling houses).
8, Lyndhurst Rise, Chigwell, IG7 5BA
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1809/25
Application for approval of details reserved by condition 11 (surface water details) on planning permission EPF/1201/24 (Demolition of the existing dwelling and construction of a replacement 5 bedroom dwelling).
White Cottage, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7RE
Received 8 Sept 2025 - Decision MadeEPF/1812/25
Open air pool to rear with small pump room to side of garage.
181, Berry Farm, Nine Ashes Road, High Ongar, Ongar, CM4 0JY
Received 8 Sept 2025
Records are ordered by application ID, not submission date. Use search to find a particular address or proposal.
View all applicationsGet emailed about new planning applications in Epping Forest
Area alerts send a daily or weekly email with new applications and decisions near a postcode, filtered by project type. £29 a month, up to 3 areas. Records are limited to the councils we collect.
Set up an area alertResearching a proposal in Epping Forest District Council
Start with the address or application reference. Open a record to read the proposal, dates and available documents, then check the official register for the latest plans and consultation details. If nothing appears, check coverage before treating the result as a complete planning history.
How to search planning applicationsGuides to planning records
All planning guides
Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning permission drawings: how to read plans
Read planning drawings, floor plans, elevations and sections. Use labelled diagrams, a drawing comparison table and revision checks to understand a proposal.
UK researchPublished Updated
Property research · 13 min read
Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
Understand planning approval rates with an interactive calculator, worked examples and comparison table. Check sample sizes, outcomes and coverage before comparing.
UK researchPublished Updated
What these statistics cover
These figures describe applications collected by PlanningTrack for Epping Forest District Council, across all dates currently available. They are a partial dataset, rather than an authority-wide performance measure. The date range does not establish continuous historical coverage.
The approval percentage is approved records divided by approved plus refused records. Pending, withdrawn and unknown outcomes are excluded. No percentage is shown until there is an approved or refused record.
Check collection coverageMore planning authorities in England
- Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
- Erewash Borough Council
- Essex County Council
- Exeter City Council
- Exmoor National Park Authority
- Fareham Borough Council