Oh dear... Here we go again. No sooner than one development is approved, up pops another one.
The latest proposals are to effectively concrete over Epping's Green belt which makes you wonder what the point is of having a green belt if any old tom, dick or developer thinks its a good idea to stick a load of houses on it with no regard for the flaura and forna that have occupied the land in question for generations.
Slippage for the uninitiated is when gradually plans are adjusted and changed. Reports are written. feasibility studies undertaken until we are eventually told when it is too late to stop the juggernaut of progress and what we end up with is nothing like originally proposed.
If you think we are kidding, some of you may remember some years ago going to St Johns Church and examining the lovely artists impressions of how Epping was going to look. We were going to have a Cinema, the area on the old primary school site was going to have some housing but the main feature was a beautiful leafy square with some retail and more cafe's.
Of course the reality is there will be no cinema and the leafy square will house a bunch of new housing. The plan was then to have affordable housing on this space, a concept that The Epping Society supported given it is difficult for some key workers in schools and hospitals to afford homes in the area. Of course the developer sponsored feasibility study was then published to show that the percentage of affordable homes needed to be reduced or the project would be unprofitable.
The reduction was in conflict with EFDC's own targets but it got waved through anyway when Qualis (the developer who is incidentally owned by the council) were given the go ahead instead of being made to go away and make it work (see the conflict of interest.)
Whist we sympathise with need for additional housing stock, we think that Epping has done more than it's fair share in contributing.
It is unacceptable for any further development on the green belt. Apart from pollution and other environmental effects, further development will completely ruin the character of the town.
Yesterday we launched a petition against further building outside the local plan. Please Please consider signing it. You can do so at.
Thank you so much if you already have signed. Please also encourage other members of your families and friends to sign. It is only through positive local action that we can get these proposals thrown out.
Further, please do consider supporting out work from only £5 a year. You can do so in just a few mins at. Thank you so much
Comments