(1 proposed area for development off Stonards Hill)
(Editor's Note - Once again we find our Green Belt and flora and fauna under threat. Our objective is to proactively get ahead of this and we can only do so with your support. Please sign our petition which can be found at
Also please consider joining the society from only £5 a year by clicking below
We will be releasing more information this week so keep an eye out.
(image of land that will be gone forever)
The Epping Society & the Local Green Belt land
Summary
The Epping Society recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is committed to preserving the local environment and promoting the town of Epping. As most of you will be aware the Local Plan was recently approved and with it the local boundary for the Green Belt that surrounds our town.
Since then, we have been made aware that there have been some threats to Green Belt, which was not included in the proposed town development as outlined in the Local Plan and documented in the Epping Neighbourhood plan. The Epping Society wants to be clear that we do not support any Green Belt development outside the designated boundary as shown in the Local Plan and also will continue to oppose those developments of the currently ‘released’ green fields. By releasing fields for development in the local plan, the availability and value of our Green Belt has already been eroded and this must stop.
Background
The London Green Belt council have a useful history of the London Green Belt land on their website (History | London Green Belt Council).
The existing Green Belt serves five purposes -
(this will be a road leading to Hartland Road providing access)
a) check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
b) to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;
c) to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
d) to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and
e) to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.
These criteria were used in 2015 as part of the consultation for the Local plan to determine if the local Green Belt could be developed (although not all the criteria were used). Green Belt land is not ‘graded’ and all land has the same protection.
Since the 2015 consultation, there have been a number of factors impacting local public opinion such as; access to green spaces during Covid lockdown; changing working routines and commuting; intensive development in the heart of Epping town centre and more understanding of the health and wellbeing effects of having access to the countryside. In addition, with potential political changes expected this year, now is not the time to be releasing more Green Belt without proper public consultation.
Proposal
The Epping Green Belt boundary is shown in the attached map taken from the adopted local plan -
Epping Forest District Local Plan 2011-2033 Part One
Our proposal is to gauge the support for this stand with a Protect our Green Belt petition……
Please sign our petition and make our collective views known to the Local and District
Councils.
Please click on this link to sign our petition. Together we can halt these proposals but only with your support. Many thanks.
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