Stop Troy Homes' proposed over-development of the Old Epping Laundry Site on Bower Hill in Epping, Essex.
Stop Troy Homes' proposed over-development of the Old Epping Laundry Site on Bower Hill in Epping, Essex.
Stop Troy Homes' proposed over-development of the Old Epping Laundry Site on Bower Hill in Epping, Essex.
Stop Troy Homes' proposed over-development of the Old Epping Laundry Site on Bower Hill in Epping, Essex.
KEY INFORMATION
Despite a DAMNING VERDICT by Epping Town Council, MASS OPPOSITION from residents, and a UNANIMOUS REJECTION by Epping Forest District Council, developer Troy Homes is still pursuing (for the fourth time!) its proposal to build 58 dwellings comprising of three blocks of 4 and 5 storey flats and 6 three-bedroom houses on the tiny former laundry site on Bower Hill and Bower Vale, with an appeal hearing scheduled for 8 July.
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This is the WRONG DEVELOPMENT for a site of this size. As Epping Town Councillor, Nigel Avey, rightly said the development is like: “Putting Canary Wharf in Epping!”. We want to preserve the distinctive local character of Epping as a leafy, market town and encourage the site to be in keeping with the surrounding homes. This over-sized and dominant development has implications for Epping Town as a whole; adding an extra burden to the town’s already busy High Street with additional traffic and parking issues; and would also add pressure to our local amenities including nurseries, schools, and doctors' surgeries.
Despite claims on their website, Troy Homes have NEVER consulted with residents on any aspect of this proposed development.
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We need to ACT NOW: 16 JUNE is the deadline to object to this awful project.
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Please see our​ list of 'Some of Our Key Objections' to this proposed development below as a helpful guide.
To object to this proposal CLICK HERE to Have Your Say!
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Together, we can win this fight. Say NO to these city-style blocks of flats and protect our town.
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We need greener homes not urban zones
SOME OF OUR KEY OBJECTIONS
01
OVER-DEVELOPED
This is the wrong development for a site of this size. The oversized blocks of flats would dominate the low-rise area and would be visible from Brook Road. The neighbourhood would be unacceptably overlooked and closed in by the flats.
02
CHEAP DESIGN
The poor design of the project fails to preserve the distinctive local character of Epping as a leafy, market town and is NOT in-keeping with the surrounding homes.
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03
OVER-CROWDED
Adding four more houses to an already crowded Bower Vale street is not feasible. Creating extra parking, drainage and water pressure issues. The proposed houses also fail to meet the build-line of the rest of the street.
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04
INCREASED TRAFFIC
The additional traffic on an already busy & fast Bower Hill road is a Highway Safety concern for existing residents. The rise in non-essential traffic and pollution would also be detrimental to our lower carbon future.
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05
LOSS OF NATURAL LIGHT
The 'Sunlight Report' has proven that the overbearing 4-5 storey blocks of flats & the 11.2m houses (at its highest) will cause an extremely detrimental impact on loss of natural sunlight & privacy to Bower Hill & Bower Vale residents.
06
LOSS OF PRIVACY
Roof Gardens have been added to the top of Blocks B, C & D creating even more noise & privacy issues & does nothing to address the height and bulk of the development. In fact it's worse!
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07
INADEQUATE REVISIONS
The reduction of 62 units down to 58 is an inadequate reduction & therefore the site remains over-developed. The applicant has failed to evolve the design & improve it for all those that will be affected
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08
INADEQUATE PARKING
The proposed access road onto the site and parking are inadequate resulting in increased parking issues on already crowded surrounding streets.
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09
"SCREENING"
The proposed Trees/Screen planting to the northern boundary will create a year-round impermeable green screen of up to 8 metres and will overshadow the gardens of Bower Vale, no. 1-15 residents, with south-facing gardens resulting in a loss of natural light of up to 25%.
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10
AFFECTS EPPING TOWN
This development has implications for Epping Town as a whole; adding an extra burden to the town’s already busy High Street with additional traffic & parking issues; and adds pressure to our local amenities including nurseries, schools, and doctors' surgeries.
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11
GREENER HOMES NOT URBAN ZONES
This development continues to fail in providing adequate recreational and landscape areas for a site of this size. This will have a direct negative impact on human health & the local ecosystem and does not promote community. The Local Plan speaks of the need for more family homes in the town - these city-style flats are 'commuter barracks' instead of comfortable family homes. This development also still fails to provide the government recommended quota for affordable housing in its proposal.
HAVE YOUR SAY!
www.change.org/eppinglaundrysite
Or if you would like to submit your own personal objections CLICK HERE to see the plans by clicking on ‘Search planning and building control applications’ and entering EPF/3174/18.
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When you’re prepared to have your say, go to the online Planning Portal HERE
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Log in, or register, and then click ‘search for a case’ using planning reference number 3239502.
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Click ‘Make representation’ at the top right hand of the page and ignore any message telling you the deadline for comments has passed - it hasn’t.
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Enter your contact details and then submit your comments in the box or upload a document with your objections.
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Together, we can win this fight. Say NO to these city-style blocks of flats and protect our town.
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KEY CONTACTS
Call Rob Pike on 07968 798755 or Kelly Collins on 07812 155380 if you need help with objecting.
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LATEST NEWS & UPDATES
LOCAL SUPPORT
"This development is Canary Wharf in Epping"
Councillor Nigel Avery, Epping Forest District Council
"Quote here"
Councillor Cherry McCredie, Epping Town Council
"Quote here"
Kelly, Bower Vale Resident
LOCAL SUPPORT
"This is the wrong development on this site. [It's] like putting Canary Wharf in Epping"
Councillor Nigel Avey, Epping Town Council Planning & General Purposes Committee
"It's out of keeping with the area"
Councillor Tony Church, Epping Town Council
"[The proposed tall trees] They screen motorways not gardens"
Councillor Michael Wright, Epping Town Council
"It's futuristic. It looks cheap"
Councillor Nigel Avey, Epping Town Council
"The blocks are too high... it will create problems with parking"
Councillor Barbara Scruton, Epping Town Council
Friday 7th August 2020
FINAL DECISION: DISMISSED
Today we received the final decision from the independent Inspectorate and we are delighted to announce they have dismissed the development!
Words cannot express how happy we are to get this result - it was a lot of unpaid work and sleepless nights, but we came together and it was all worthwhile :)
We would just like to say a massive thank you to everyone who got involved and to those who supported our campaign against Troy Homes' Development.
Special mentions to Epping Town Council, Epping Forest District Council, our local Councillors, Epping Society and to our passionate residents and all of those who signed our petition & sent in your rejection letters.