Land to the rear of "Tudor Rose", Stapleford Abbots, Essex - Application Reference EPF/1860/17.
 
Proposed Development: Replace Stable Block with New Bungalow.

Introduction

 

En-Plan: Planning & Architecture are proud to show off our latest planning approval for new residential devlopment in Essex. The application site is a sizeable field or paddock, containing a barn building and a stables building, located to the rear of the house at Tudor Rose, which itself has a large rear garden. Access to the paddock is via an access at the immediate side of the house at Tudor Rose, and adjoining the boundary with the neighbouring house at Oak Top. Tudor Rose lies on the opposite side of the road to the Royal Oak public house, with the property located in the village of Stapleford Abbots, in Romford, Essex.

​

Planning Policy for New Hosuing in Epping Forest District

​

Planning policy controlling new residential development in Epping Forest District is primarily set out in the Epping Forest District Local Plan 2011–2033 and national planning guidance such as the National Planning Policy Framework.

​

The Local Plan establishes the district’s housing target of approximately 11,400 new homes between 2011 and 2033 and identifies specific sites where residential development should occur. New housing proposals must comply with policies requiring a mix of housing types and sizes, including affordable housing, and must achieve high design quality that respects the character of existing settlements.

​

A key constraint is the Metropolitan Green Belt, which covers much of the district and strictly limits new residential development unless exceptional circumstances exist. Environmental protection is also important because development near Epping Forest must consider impacts on its internationally protected habitats.

Developers are usually required to provide infrastructure contributions, such as through Section 106 agreements or the Community Infrastructure Levy, to support services like transport, schools, and environmental mitigation. Together, these policies ensure that new residential development is sustainable, well designed, and located in appropriate areas.

​

The Planning Application

​

The Planning Application was submitted to Epping Forest Council who viewwed the application as one that was replacing similar built form with a new bunaglow therefore preserving the charctr and openness of the Green Belt. The NPPF specifically allows the redevelopment of previously developed land within the Green Belt and the vacant stable building on this land falls within this category. The provison is that any replacement building should not have a greater impact on openness in the Green Belt. The proposed bungalow was of a modest one with a smaller footprint and smaller volume than the stable building it replaces, and hence it is compliant with the NPPF, and the Epping Local Plan.

 

En-Plan were able to demonstrate through the medium of digital mapping and architectural visualisation that the access to the development site would be wide enough and allow for suitable visbility splays for both new and existing occupiers. Although the access will be close to the flank of the neighbouring house at Oak Top En-Plan demonstrated that  traffic movements to the proposed bungalow will be light and would not cause any material loss of amenity. Also a high and substantial hedge runs along this boundary providing good privacy. As such the development had no highways and access issues.

 

A Design & Access Statement was also submitted to highlioght te sustaibility credential s of tgeh schem and how its position close to eioxtsing publci transport ;linksa menat te schgem was 
 
With the above points in mind the submitted application sailed through the planning process and the applicant now has an extremely valuable asset on their land as opposed to the wooden stable block occupying the site.

​

Planning Conditions were imposed restricting the curtilage of the new bungalow and withdrawing permitted development rights, along with conditions requiring details of a) external materials, b) of foul and surface water drainage, and c) land contamination, to be submitted and approved. 

 

Further Information

If you would like to see how our Planning Consultancy and Architectural Services can work in harmony to achieve success in the rural planning system please do not hesitate to contact us.