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 dates59,547Searchable applications
411Recorded as pending
80%Approval rate · 51,321 approved or refused records
10,358Refused applications
40,963 approved · 10,358 refused · 3,109 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 29 Jan 1996 to 29 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 2 Nov 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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/1292/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 7 Contaminated Land of EPF/1313/15 Allowed on Appeal (Construction of a new two storey dwelling with second floor accommodation in the roof, a detached double garage, a new replacement external rear swimming pool and associated site works, following demolition of existing dwelling and outbuildings).
High Beech Hall, Church Road, Waltham Abbey, Loughton, IG10 4AJ
Received 30 Jun 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1294/26
Construction of a loft conversion with gable walls, rear dormer including two Juliet balconies and front dormer.
36, Lechmere Avenue, Chigwell, IG7 5ET
Received 30 Jun 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1295/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed swimming pool.
Pepper Alley, Mott Street, Waltham Abbey, IG10 4AP
Received 30 Jun 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1296/26
Non-Material Amendment to EPF/0172/24 (Demolition of 3Nr existing outbuildings and erection of 2Nr dwellings on land serving Berwick Berners Hall, Berwick Lane, Abbess Roding, Ongar, Essex, CM5 0JS).
Berwick Hall, Berwick Lane, Abbess Beauchamp And Berners Roding, Ongar, CM5 0JS
Received 30 Jun 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1297/26
Installation of insulation and render to front and side elevations.
17, Englands Lane, Loughton, IG10 2QX
Received 1 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1299/26
TPO/EPF/14/98 T1: Oak - Reduce lateral branches overhanging neighbouring garden by up to1.5m, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
The Oaks, Epping Road, Roydon, Harlow, CM19 5HT
Received 1 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1300/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed replacement and extension of existing side entrance lobby.
80, Meadow Road, Loughton, IG10 4HX
Received 1 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1301/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 4 Contaminated Land of EPF/2560/24 Allowed on Appeal (Demolition of existing house including outbuildings and garage to be replaced by a single-family dwelling (incorporating existing outbuildings), together with associated single storey garage with attached annex and landscaping).
Hillside, Vicarage Lane, Chigwell, IG7 6LZ
Received 1 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1302/26
Proposal conversion of existing garage into habitable room, raising ridge height to accommodate loftconversion with rear dormers to existing curtilage outbuilding.
Blue House, Bournebridge Lane, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1LU
Received 1 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1303/26
Variation of Condition 2: approved drawings of EPF/2219/19 (Demolition of 12 no disused existing buildings used predominantly for equestrian purposes (5 horse stables, 1 garage office, 1 reptilarium, 1 animal cage and 4 smaller ancillary sheds). Erection of 2 no chalet style bungalows with associated private amenity space, bin storage, cycle storage and parking spaces).
Dallance Farm, Breach Barns Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2AD
Received 1 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1304/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 3 Landscaping of EPF/1574/24 (Change of use from waste land to garden).
6, Tewkesbury Close, Loughton, IG10 3NT
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1305/26
Demolition of rear conservatory / wc and erection of single storey extension with pitched roof and roof windows. Removal of chimney stack between 3 & 4 Chapel Cottages.
4 Chapel Terrace, Forest Road, Loughton, IG10 1ED
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Under ConsultationEPF/1306/26
Change of use of use of domestic swimming pool to mixed domestic and swim school use (to facilitate up to 3 hours of swimming lessons Monday-Friday).
292, Garra, Nine Ashes Road, High Ongar, Ongar, CM4 0LA
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1307/26
York Hill Conservation Area T1: Hornbeam - Crown reduce by up to 2m, as specified. T6-T9: Hornbeam - Crown reduce by up to 2m, as specified.
29 York Hill, Loughton, IG10 1HU
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1308/26
York Hill Conservation Area T1: Hornbeam - Crown reduce to previous pruning points.
95 York Hill, Loughton, IG10 1HZ
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1309/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed extension to provide a dormer and roof lights.
16, St Johns Road, Loughton, IG10 1RZ
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1310/26
Variation of Condition 2 Plan numbers of EPF/2219/19 (Demolition of 12 No disused existing buildings used predominantly for equestrian purposes (5 horse stables, 1 garage office, 1 reptilarium, 1 animal cage and 4 smaller ancillary sheds). Erection of 2 no chalet style bungalows with associated private amenity space, bin storage, cycle storage and parking spaces).
Dallance Farm, Breach Barns Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2AD
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1311/26
Erection of agricultural barn.
Carlton Farm, Middle Street, Nazeing, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2LH
Received 2 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1312/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed outbuilding.
8, Broadgate, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3NH
Received 3 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1313/26
Single storey, part two storey rear extension, conversion of garage into habitable room and front porch.
6, Chester Road, Chigwell, IG7 6AJ
Received 3 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1314/26
TPO/EPF/11/84 (Ref: A2) G1: Mixed - Prune overhanging branches to suitable pruning points, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
Preceptors House, Coppice Row, Theydon Bois, Epping, CM16 7DN
Received 3 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1315/26
Front, rear and side extension to existing detached dwelling.
Westside, Grove Lane, Chigwell, IG7 6JD
Received 3 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1316/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 7 Broadband of EPF/1602/22 Allowed on Appeal (Change of use of an existing annex building to a separate dwelling).
Mickleham, Theydon Road, Theydon Bois, Epping, CM16 4EE
Received 6 Jul 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1318/26
Variation of Condition 2 Plan numbers of EPF/0662/26 (Erection of a first floor rear extension and installation of new window to flank elevation).
32, Monkswood Avenue, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1LB
Received 6 Jul 2026
Records are ordered by application ID, not submission date. Use search to find a particular address or proposal.
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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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