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 dates60,083Searchable applications
402Recorded as pending
80%Approval rate · 51,805 approved or refused records
10,454Refused applications
41,351 approved · 10,454 refused · 3,129 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 29 Jan 1996 to 29 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 3 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 Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.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/1618/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 9 Landscape Management Plan of EPF/1769/24 (Erection of 42no residential dwellings together with highway, car parking and associated works).
Development Land, Oak Hill Road, Stapleford Abbotts, RM4 1JL
Received 21 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1619/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 31 Surface Water Maintenance Plan (SuDS) of EPF/1769/24 (Erection of 42no residential dwellings together with highway, car parking and associated works).
Development Land, Oak Hill Road, Stapleford Abbotts, RM4 1JL
Received 21 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1620/26
Construction of a single storey side extension, conversion of existing detached garage and new glazed link.
3 Piggotts Farm Barns, Abridge Road, Lambourne, RM4 1TX
Received 21 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1621/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed loft conversion with rear facing dormers and front roof lights.
61, Brunel Road, Chigwell, IG8 8BE
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Recommendation MadeEPF/1622/26
Variation of Condition 2 Plan numbers of EPF/0286/26 For PLOT 5 ONLY (Reserved matters application following Outline Application EPF/2601/22 (allowed on appeal) 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 and custom-build houses; 4 affordable houses, open space, bowling green, children's play area and improved local bus service (reserved matters are for appearance, layout, scale and landscaping limited to self-build plots 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9).
Plot 5 - Chimes Self Build Site, Former Chimes Garden Centre, Old Nazeing Road, Nazeing, EN10 6RJ
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1626/26
TPO/EPF/21/91 T1: Lawson's Cypress - Cut 0.5m channel through crown to give clearance around cable, as specified. TPO/EPF/11/86 A1: Mixed, T1: Beech - Cut 0.5m channel through crown to give clearance around cable, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
Appletree Cottage, Church Lane, Sheering, Harlow, CM22 7NR
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1623/26
Erection of a garden room.
11, Lower Bury Lane, Epping, CM16 5HA
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1624/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for existing continued use and occupancy of residential dwelling by persons not employed in agriculture or forestry in the locality of Aimes Green Farm.
Aimes Green, Aimes Green Farm, Claverhambury Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2AU
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1625/26
Full width single storey rear extension with part pitched / part flat roof over. Approximately 5.32m deep to match the neighbours rear extension at number 63, measured from the existing rear facade. Eaves height no higher than 2.5m. Maximum height of extension no higher than 3.6m. Materials to match the existing.
65, Amesbury, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3LH
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1627/26
TPO/EPF/32/08 T1: Ash - Crown reduce to previous points, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
65, Hemnall Street, Epping, CM16 4LZ
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1628/26
Single storey front and rear extension.
The Drummonds, Sidney Road, Theydon Bois, Epping, CM16 7DT
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1631/26
Certificate of Lawfulness of existing development - loft conversion and roof extensions.
Brookend, Oak Hill Road, Stapleford Abbotts, Romford, RM4 1JJ
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1629/26
Construction of a detached infill dwelling.
Land adjacent to 1 Kings Cottages, Epping Green, Epping, CM16 6PR
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1630/26
Variation of Condition 8 of EPF/0255/99 Hours of Use (Revised application for demolition of existing public house and redevelopment for A3 restaurant use).
McDonald's Restaurant, London Road, Harlow, CM17 9LH
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1633/26
Non-Material Amendment to EPF/2904/22 (Roofing works, fenestration changes and single storey rear extension).
72, Bracken Drive, Chigwell, IG7 5RD
Received 24 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1632/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Condition 11 Contaminated Land 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 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1635/26
Loft conversion with rear dormer and front rooflights, front porch extension.
31, Audley Gardens, Loughton, IG10 2EN
Received 25 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1634/26
Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed hip to gable loft conversion with rear dormer and front roof lights.
15, Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3AN
Received 25 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1636/26
Erection of a first-floor rear extension, internal floor level alterations, new rear steps to garden, and associated external works.
74 Upshire Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3NZ
Received 25 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1637/26
TPO/EPF/23/11 T1-T3: Corsican Pine - Crown reduce height by up to 2m, as specified. Reduce lateral branches by up to 3m, as specified. Crown lift lower laterals away from building, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
High Trees, Avenue Road, Roydon, Harlow, EN11 0BA
Received 25 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1638/26
Grade II Listed building consent for repair and replacement of section of wall.
New Barns Farm Lane, Chigwell
Received 25 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1639/26
Approval of Details Reserved by Conditions 7 Additional Details of External Fixtures, 10 Woodland Management Plan, 11 Lighting Details, 12 Boundary Treatments, 16 Hard Surfacing and Drainage and 18 Ecological Enhancement Scheme of EPF/2173/24 (Construction of a Single-Storey Dwelling with Associated Woodland Management and Sustainability Enhancements).
Days Farm, Lippitts Hill, Loughton, IG10 4AL
Received 25 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1640/26
Non-Material Amendment to EPF/323/25 (Extensions to existing lodge and erection of two new detached houses fronting Goldings Road).
The Lodge, Goldings Hill, Loughton, IG10 2RY
Received 26 Aug 2026 - Decision MadeEPF/1641/26
TPO/EPF/78/10 (Ref: T20 Oak, T19 & T18 London Plane, G5 Oak) T001: Oak - Crown reduce by up to 2.5m and reduce on side of building to give 3m clearance, as specified. Crown lift by up to 6m from ground, as specified. T002: London Plane - Crown reduce on side of building to give 3m clearance, as specified. Crown lift by up to 7m from ground, as specified. T003: London Plane - Crown reduce on side of building to give 3m clearance, as specified. Crown lift by up to 8m from ground, as specified. T004: Oak - Crown reduce by up to 2m, as specified. Crown lift by up to 3m from ground, as specified. NB: The permitted specification of works is detailed in the conditions below.
Warlies Park House, Horseshoe Hill, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3SL
Received 26 Aug 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