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 dates56,510Searchable applications
413Recorded as pending
80%Approval rate · 48,339 approved or refused records
9,801Refused applications
38,538 approved · 9,801 refused · 3,020 withdrawn.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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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
- Under ConsultationEPF/0598/26
Conversion of stable block to form a single residential dwelling alongside associated development.
The Dairy, Bournebridge Lane, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1LU
Received 23 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0599/26
Variation of condition 2 `plan numbers' of EPF/0754/24 (Demolition of existing house and construction of new detached dwelling).
43, Alderton Hill, Loughton, IG10 3JD
Received 23 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0600/26
Single storey L-shaped extension around the rear
The Limes, Epping Road, Roydon, Harlow, CM19 5HT
Received 23 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0601/26
Construction of a front entrance porch.
Oak Cottage, The Street, Sheering, Harlow, CM22 7LX
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Recommendation MadeEPF/0602/26
Conversion of existing single dwelling house into 4 no. residential units.
70, High Road, Buckhurst Hill, IG9 5RW
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0603/26
TPO/EPF/21/08 (Ref: T17) T1: Horse Chestnut - Crown reduce height by up to 1m, as specified. Selective reduction of lateral branches by up to 3m, as specified. Crown lift by up to 4m, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
37, Kings Wood Park, Epping, CM16 6FA
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0604/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 8 of EPF/0446/25 (Demolition of existing single storey garden room. Erection of new garden room with basement and outdoor LED screen).
30, Verviers, Tomswood Road, Chigwell, IG7 5QS
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0606/26
EIA Screening Opinion
Land to the Southwest of Stonards Hill, Epping
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0607/26
TPO/EPF/05/92 (Ref: T10 & T11) T1: Sycamore - Reduce by up to 2m height and up to 1.5m width, as specified. T2: Ash - Reduce by up to 2m height and up to 2m width, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
7, Kestrel Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3NB
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0608/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed loft conversion with rear dormer and front roof lights.
21, Hornbeam Close, Theydon Bois, Epping, CM16 7JT
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0609/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Conditions 4 Levels, 6 External Materials, 10 Surface Water Drainage, 11 Contaminated Land and 13 Hard and Soft Landscaping of EPF/2183/23 (Demolition of two pairs of semi-detached properties and the replacement with two pairs of semi-detached properties, along with associated parking and landscaping).
68, Back Lane, Sheering, Harlow, CM22 7NG
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0610/26
Retention of existing outbuilding.
67, Stradbroke Grove, Buckhurst Hill, IG9 5PE
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0611/26
Demolition of existing agricultural building and construction of a replacement agricultural building.
Ongar Park Hall, High Road, North Weald Bassett, Epping, CM16 6GQ
Received 24 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0612/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed single storey side extension.
2 Shoeluck Cottages, Church Lane, Lambourne, Romford, RM4 1AB
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0613/26
Demolition of existing garage and erection of new garage and part front extension to match right bay window depth.
3, Upshire Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3NP
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0614/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed single storey rear extension, loft conversion with rear dormer and outbuilding.
3, Upshire Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3NP
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0616/26
Certificate of Lawful Development to confirm proposed works associated with the building fall within use Class E and are therefore within the scope of lawful development.
15, Regent Road, Epping, CM16 5DL
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0618/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 4 Surface Water Drainage of EPF/0874/25 (Demolition of the poor-quality existing dwelling and erection of replacement dwellinghouse with basement).
Field End, Oak Hill Road, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1EH
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0617/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Conditions 15 Construction Method Statement and 30 Flood Mitigation of EPF/1769/24 (The erection of 42 no residential dwellings together with highway, car parking and associated works).
Development Land, Oak Hill Road, Stapleford Abbotts, RM4 1JL
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0620/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 7 Hard and Soft Landscaping of EPF/0874/26 (Demolition of the poor-quality existing dwelling and erection of replacement dwellinghouse with basement).
Field End, Oak Hill Road, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1EH
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0619/26
Proposed single storey outbuilding for ancillary use.
Rainbirds, Nupers Lane, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1JR
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0621/26
Single storey rear extension.
36, Roding Gardens, Loughton, IG10 3NH
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0622/26
Application for Approval of Details for condition 4 of EPF/2112/25 (Grade II listed building consent for replacement of the defective roof covering and sarking felt to prevent water ingress, together with reinstatement of the original coach house bay frontage on the west elevation.)
Albyns Farm, Albyns Lane, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1RS
Received 25 Mar 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/0623/26
Prior Notification for two agricultural steel barns.
Nether Spain Farm, Spains Hall Road, Ongar, CM5 0QE
Received 26 Mar 2026
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