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 dates55,931Searchable applications
414Recorded as pending
80%Approval rate · 47,781 approved or refused records
9,706Refused applications
38,075 approved · 9,706 refused · 2,999 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 29 Jan 1996 to 29 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 31 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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/0326/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 5 Ecology of EPF/2601/22 Allowed on Appeal (Outline application for the redevelopment of the site to provide up to 52 later living apartments (Extra Care Housing) incorporating a convenience shop and café (use class E); 13 retirement cottages (Extra Care Housing); 10 self-build & custom build houses; 4 affordable houses, open space, bowling green, children's play area and improved local bus service; all matters reserved except access).
The Former Chimes Garden Centre Old Nazeing Road, Old Nazeing Road, Nazeing, EN10 6RJ
Received 16 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0328/26
Single-storey rear 6.0m extension
362, Fencepiece Road, Chigwell, IG7 5DY
Received 16 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0327/26
Grade II Listed Building consent for proposed external repair, replacement and refurbishment works.
225, High Street, Epping, CM16 4BL
Received 16 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0332/26
Upshire Conservation Area T1: Silver Birch - Crown reduce to previous points. T2: Hornbeam - Crown reduce by up to 3m.
Bury Lodge, Copthall Green, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3ST
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0330/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 8 Construction Method Statement of EPF/2701/19 Allowed on Appeal (Proposed construction of an additional storey comprising of x6 no. two bedroom flats).
13, Brook Parade, Chigwell, IG7 6PF
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0331/26
Conversion of cart lodge to sitting room, insertion of windows and front door re-location.
Willow Barn, Cozens Farm, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NX
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0333/26
TPO/EPF/05/89 (Ref: T2) T1: Cypress - Crown reduce height and side by up to 3m. as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
38, Upper Park, Loughton, IG10 4EQ
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0334/26
Single storey rear extension, new front feature porch and side storey extension. Raising ridge line with front and rear dormers. Removal of side porch extension.
Rainbirds, Nupers Lane, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1JR
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0335/26
Loft Conversion.
67, Fancy Free, Hoe Lane, Lambourne, Romford, RM4 1AU
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0336/26
Single storey ground floor rear extension.
23, High Road, Loughton, IG10 4JJ
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0337/26
Advertisement consent for installation of 2x illuminated vertical fascia signs, 3x illuminated fascia sign, 10x uprights and 4x panels to existing totem signs.
Travelodge, 1 Langston Road, Loughton, IG10 3SD
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0338/26
Prior Approval for change of agricultural/horticultural buildings to storage use.
Glenholme, Nursery Road, Nazeing, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2JF
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0340/26
Single storey flat roof extension and changes to soft and hard landscaping.
Spinney Croft, Workers Road, High Laver, Ongar, CM5 0DZ
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0339/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 2 Detail and Landscaping of Retirement Cottages of EPF/2601/22 Allowed on Appeal (Outline application for the redevelopment of the site to provide up to 52 later living apartments (Extra Care Housing) incorporating a convenience shop and café (use class E); 13 retirement cottages (Extra Care Housing); 10 self-build & custom build houses; 4 affordable houses, open space, bowling green, children's play area and improved local bus service; all matters reserved except access).
Site of former Chimes Garden Centre, Old Nazeing Road, Broxbourne, EN10 6RJ
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0342/26
Approval of Biodiversity Gain Plan Reserved by Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), following approved HMMP under EPF/2196/25, along with Condition 7 (Archaeology), Condition 9 (Great Crested Newts) and Condition 19 (Biodiversity Enhancement Strategy (BES)) of EPF/1546/24 (Proposed Installation, operation and decommissioning of renewable energy generating station comprising ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays together with transformer/inverter stations, site accesses, internal access tracks, security measures, access gates, other ancillary infrastructure and landscaping and biodiversity enhancements).
Land at Nickerlands, Berwick Lane, Stanford Rivers, Ongar, CM5 9PX
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0341/26
Conversion of existing garage into living/gym spaces. replacement of garage doors to new windows and new bi fold doors to garden.
4, Battle Court, Ongar, CM5 9SX
Received 17 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0343/26
Single storey rear extension and raised terrace/patio.
16, The Shrubberies, Chigwell, IG7 5DU
Received 18 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0346/26
Removal of porch and rear and side single storey extension. New double storey side and rear extension and part single storey rear extension.
19, Graylands, Theydon Bois, Epping, CM16 7LB
Received 18 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0345/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 22 Trees of EPF/0292/21 (Erection of 38 residential dwellings with access from Forest Drive, and provision of associated open space, services and landscaping).
Land North of Forest Drive, Forest Drive, Theydon Bois, CM16 7HH
Received 18 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0344/26
Demolition of existing outbuilding and erection of an ancillary residential accommodation (Use Class C3) incidental to the host dwelling at Bliss Heights.
140, Bliss Heights, London Road, Lambourne, Romford, RM4 1XX
Received 18 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0348/26
Variation of Condition 2 Plan numbers of EPF/1425/25 (First floor side extension with alterations to tiled roof and repositioning of existing dormer).
14, Eleven Acre Rise, Loughton, IG10 1AN
Received 18 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0347/26
Demolition of existing garage and proposed two number detached houses built.
Unit 4 Bansons Yard, Adjacent To, High Street, Ongar, CM5 9AA
Received 18 Feb 2026 - Recommendation MadeEPF/0349/26
Conversion of Existing Agricultural Building Into Two Detached Dwellinghouses.
Bovinger Hall Farm, Stony Lane, Ongar, CM5 0DQ
Received 18 Feb 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0350/26
Front Porch, Double Garage, single storey extension to East elevation and infill to West elevation. Minor alteration to FF master bedroom layout including new door-set.
Sawyers Farm, Wood Lane, Willingale, Ongar, CM5 0QS
Received 19 Feb 2026
Records are ordered by application ID, not submission date. Use search to find a particular address or proposal.
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Set up an area alertResearching a proposal in Epping Forest District Council
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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.
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