The Borders, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7BF Data via plota.co.uk

EPF/0714/24 - Full planning permission Refused

Proposal

Retention of a building for agricultural purposes. Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked 7 Sept 2026, 06:14

Application progress

✓

Received

5 Apr 2024

✓

Validated

23 Jun 2026

✗

Refused

18 Aug 2026

Appeal

Not lodged

Refused on 18 Aug 2026 · Delegated Decision · Last checked 22 Aug 2026

Documents 17

PDF Commenter’s name hidden Show WORD_X · 23 Jun 2026 View ↗

Site constraints 11

Green belt: London

Inappropriate development needs very special circumstances.

Green belt policy allows a short list of exceptions, such as limited extensions and replacement buildings. Anything else needs very special circumstances that clearly outweigh the harm. Some green belt land can count as grey belt, where it does not strongly serve the green belt's purposes. The council decides this in its green belt assessment or on each application, so we do not mark it here.

Read the government guidance ↗

In flood zones plus climate change

Inside the extent flood zones 2 and 3 could reach with climate change: the Central allowance for the 2080s on rivers, the Upper End allowance for sea level rise to 2125. From rivers. Defences are not counted.

The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Councils use it to decide when a flood risk assessment and the sequential test are needed. It is indicative and does not show whether a particular property will flood.

Flood map ↗

Special area of conservation about 209 m away: Epping Forest

Work nearby can need a habitats assessment.

Harm to a protected site is only accepted where there is no alternative and an overriding public interest.

Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 2

Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.

SSSI about 94 m away: Chingford Reservoirs SSSI

Natural England may need consulting, depending on what is proposed.

Sites of special scientific interest are the best wildlife and geological sites in the country. Development likely to harm one is rarely permitted.

National infrastructure project about 848 m away: North London (Electricity Line) Reinforcement

The site is about 848 m from the project boundary. Electricity line, decided. The project page says whether consent was granted.

Nationally significant infrastructure projects (power stations, electricity lines, pipelines, major roads and railways, harbours, airports and reservoirs) are consented by a Secretary of State under the Planning Act 2008, after an examination by the Planning Inspectorate, rather than by the council. The boundary is the one the Inspectorate consults on and can change as the scheme does. Projects are shown within 2 km of the site.

Planning Inspectorate project page ↗

Also on the record

Tree preservation order about 19 m away; Inside the Waltham Forest built-up area; Air quality management area about 16 m away: Waltham Forest AQMA; Priority habitat about 34 m away: Deciduous woodland; Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) had this area as grade 4, but it predates the buildings here and the current map does not class it as farmland.

Not affected

Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. The pin for this application is the centre of its postcode rather than the building, so distances to nearby designations are measured from the postcode and can be out by the width of the postcode area. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Planning Inspectorate and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Other new applications on this street

13 Oct 2026Pending

White Cottage, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7RE

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EPF/1933/26

12 Oct 2026Pending

Netherhouse Farm, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7RJ

Variation of condition 10 of planning permission EPF/0625/22 to permit the use o...

EPF/1926/26

30 Sept 2026Pending

Park Farm, Park Farm Nursery, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7RG

Proposed erection of 8x houses.

EPF/1839/26

19 Aug 2026Refused

Maycroft, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7RH

Redevelopment of site by demolition of existing detached bungalow and constructi...

EPF/1589/26

Important details

Council: Epping Forest
Application type: Full planning permission
Postcode: E4 7BF
Received: 5 Apr 2024
Validated: 23 Jun 2026
Ward: Waltham Abbey South and Rural
Parish: Waltham Abbey
Case officer: Show
Target decision: 18 Aug 2026
Decision: Refuse
Decision date: 18 Aug 2026
Decision level: Delegated Decision
Applicant: Show
Agent: Show

How this decision compares

Decided in 56 days from validation, about the council's usual 53 days. Refused, as 49% of agricultural works here are.

This one56d

Council53d

UK46d

69%decided within 8 weeks

51%approved

41decided in the last year

Plota live figures for agricultural works decided by Epping Forest in the last twelve months, from validation. Epping Forest decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

Last counted 22 Aug 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Comments by: 14 Jul 2026

Historical activity at this location

15 nearby applications on record - archival context, not part of the live application.

Within ~100m

Nearby activity

2025 Refused

2 Gilwell Close, Chingford, London, E4 7RZ

Sub-division of land and construction of 2 x 2 storey building to create 2 x 3 bedroom si…

250075 14 Jan 2025

2022 Refused

Land rear of The Borders, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7BF

Retention of a building for agricultural purposes

EPF/2624/22 4 Mar 2024

2022 Refused

Land rear of The Borders, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7BF

Retention of a building for agricultural purposes

EPF/2624/22 4 Mar 2024

2021 Withdrawn

11 Cornwall Place Waltham Abbey E4 7FH

Proposed single storey rear extension and new shop extension to existing retail outlet.

EPF/2783/21 15 Dec 2021

2021 Approved

Street Record Baden Drive Waltham Abbey E4 7FF

TPO/EPF/05/91 (Ref: A2) T9: Ash - Fell.

EPF/1266/21 14 Jul 2021

2021 Approved

Baden Drive Waltham Abbey E4 7FF

TPO/EPF/05/91 (Ref: T1 & A2) T1: Willow, T2: Ash, T7 & T8: 2 x Oak, T16, T17 & T18: 3 x P…

EPF/1192/21 9 Jul 2021

2017 Approved

15 Albion Terrace Sewardstone Road Waltham Abbey Essex E4 7SB

Single storey rear extension.

EPF/2762/17 6 Dec 2017

2017 Approved

15 Albion Terrace Sewardstone Road Waltham Abbey Essex E4 7SB

Single storey rear extension.

EPF/2762/17 6 Dec 2017

2017 Refused

15 Albion Terrace Sewardstone Road Waltham Abbey Essex E4 7SB

Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed single storey rear extension.

EPF/2062/17 5 Oct 2017

2017 Refused

15 Albion Terrace Sewardstone Road Waltham Abbey Essex E4 7SB

Certificate of Lawful Development for proposed single storey rear extension.

EPF/2062/17 5 Oct 2017

2017 Withdrawn

The Limes/White Lodge Sewardstone Road Waltham Abbey Essex E4 7SA

Application for confirmation of all conditions on EPF/1680/06 and RES/EPF/0383/09 (Reserv…

EPF/0926/17 29 Mar 2017

2017 Withdrawn

The Limes/White Lodge Sewardstone Road Waltham Abbey Essex E4 7SA

Application for confirmation of all conditions on EPF/1680/06 and RES/EPF/0383/09 (Reserv…

EPF/0926/17 29 Mar 2017

2016 Approved

10 Cornwall Place Waltham Abbey E4 7FH

TPO/EPF/05/91 T3: Lime - Crown reduce spread by 2-3m as specified and crown lift to 4-5m.

EPF/2626/16 15 Dec 2016

2016 Approved

Trees Opposite Storm Drain Baden Drive Waltham Abbey Essex E4 7FF

TPO/EPF/05/91 G1 - T1: Oak - Reduce low limb over road as specified.T2: Ash - Crown reduc…

EPF/2627/16 15 Dec 2016

2016 Approved

12 Albion Terrace Chingford London E4 7SB

Rear ground floor extension.

EPF/1137/16 23 Jun 2016

Epping Forest

Planning Authority Score

4.5/10

Below average

#172 of 296 councils

Relevant to this application:

Householder decisions

Epping Forest ranks #114 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. Epping Forest is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 76% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils

only 76% approved vs 90% nationally

These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance

Epping Forest decision statistics

Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026

67%

Overall approval rate

Below avg (87%) #295 of 296

76%

Householder approved

Below avg (90%) #290 of 296

71%

Decided in 8 weeks

Above avg (63%) #114 of 296

34%

Extended time limit

Below avg (41%) #87 of 296

49%

Minor dwellings approved

228 decided (1-9 homes)

55%

Major dwellings approved

20 decided (10+ homes)

49%

Change of use approved

43 decided

1,307

Total decisions

429 refused in the year to March 2026

The Borders, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, E4 7BF Data via plota.co.uk

Proposal

Application progress

Documents 17

Decision & officer reports 2

Statements & assessments 2

Plans & drawings 2

Consultation & comments 4

Other documents 7

Site constraints 11

Other new applications on this street

Important details

How this decision compares

Public comments

Consultation & key dates

Nearby activity