Everything Epping Forest

​A man aged in his 70s was stopped by police when he was seen riding his mobility scooter along the hard shoulder of the M11 at Sheering yesterday afternoon (Friday).

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Everything Epping Forest News and information for the Epping Forest district. Email everythingeppingforest@gmail.com or ring 07710 447868.

VOTE 2026: Latest VOTE 2026 update as first local county council candidate - for Ongar and Rural divison - confirmed.

Bookmark the VOTE 2026 page via cutt.ly/bio/EEFNEWS

EXCLUSIVE: A building earmarked for Langston Road, Debden, to house the UK's largest sovereign AI data centre needs to be 103.3ft (31.5m) tall - 30.8ft (9.5m) taller than originally planned, Everything Epping Forest can reveal.

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A 28-home development on the site of the former Waltham Abbey swimming pool - a partnership between Epping Forest District Council and Qualis - has been officially launched.

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Harlow Council has welcomed the decision of Epping Forest councillors to refuse outline plans for the Latton Priory 'Garden Town' development which included up to 1,340 homes saying it is "the right decision for Harlow".

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A man arrested on suspicion of drink driving after he was injured when a BMW car went off Epping High Road on Monday night hit a tree and burst into flames "will face no further action", police have told Everything Epping Forest.

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Two men who were arrested over "large-scale fly-tipping" on land off Epping Lane, Stapleford Tawney, have had their police bail date extended until April, Essex Police has told Everything Epping Forest.

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A 20-year-old man, from Kingston-upon-Thames, who was arrested in Epping on Friday, October 31 last year following reports of a man exposing himself and "acting erratically" in the Station Road area has had his police bail extended for a second time.

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Outline plans for a 'Garden Town' development with "virtually the same number of dwellings as Theydon Bois" near the M11 roundabout at Hastingwood have been rejected by district councillors.

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JOB VACANCIES... Lot14 at Theydon.

Epping Horticultural Society events:

SATURDAY, MARCH 28 - Spring Awakening Easter Inspired Wreath Workshop - Pelly Court Hall, Epping (1pm-3pm).

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 - Flower Arranging, United Reformed Church, Lindsey Street, Epping (1pm-3pm).

Ticket details www.ticketsource.co.uk/epping-horti...

Citizens Advice Epping Forest District has received funding from the National Lottery’s Awards for All programme to help support its volunteer service.

Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-182

News round-up: Check out the latest news round-up from Everything Epping Forest...

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A licence application for pavement seating outside Esquires Coffee in High Road, Loughton, has been submitted to Epping Forest District Council with the branch seeking approval for one table and four chairs between 6am and 6pm Monday to Sunday.

Votes cast in the Essex County Council elections - with all seven of the seats covering the Epping Forest district up for election - will be counted first, followed by the 18 district council seats.

Counting for the local elections will take place the day after polling day (Friday, May 8), Epping Forest District Council has said.
The verification process of all ballot papers and postal votes will take place the previous night after polls close at 10pm.

YouTube video by Everything Epping Forest VIDEO - Epping High Road crash

UPDATE: A man in his 20s from Buckhurst Hill has been arrested for drink-driving after he was injured when his car left Epping High Road late last night, hit a tree and burst into flames.

VIDEO REPORT: youtu.be/Er2BS2ZoOEw

PICTURES: cutt.ly/PICTURES-Epp...

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A man was taken to hospital after his car left Epping High Road and hit a tree bursting into flames.

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A "social cafe-style space" operating as a coffee shop during the day and licensed premises specialising in Belgian beer and "simple food" in the evening is planned for the former Kasha Bar premises in Epping High Street.

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Buckhurst Hill FC are four points outside the play-off places in the Essex Senior League with three games in hand over their nearest rivals after extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 14 matches with a 1-1 draw at Great Wakering Rovers on Saturday thanks to Ollie Williams’ equaliser.

The operator of the new Epping Leisure Centre has apologised to a family who found themselves locked inside the building and said it "will of course ensure this mistake cannot be made again".

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​Historian Percy Thompson has been recognised with a Loughton Town Council heritage blue plaque on his one-time Loughton home.  

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A family found themselves locked inside the new Epping Leisure Centre this evening.
Gavin Whitbread and his family came out of the changing room at 6pm after playing badminton to discover the facility empty and the doors locked.

Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-171

VOTE 2026: A leading 'Pink Ladies' figure at the Bell Hotel protests has joined Restore Britain, two weeks after leaving Reform UK "to concentrate on setting up" the Rhiannon Whyte Foundation with the mother of hotel worker Rhiannon murdered by an asylum seeker.

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Everything Epping Forest News and information for the Epping Forest district. Email everythingeppingforest@gmail.com or ring 07710 447868.

VOTE 2026 LATEST: Loughton Residents Association is "in the process of selecting their candidates at this time" for the district and county council elections, councillor Sheree Rackham has told Everything Epping Forest.

Link to the VOTE 2026 page and more local election news via cutt.ly/bio/EEFNEWS

75 days to go...

Who will be the first candidate to declare they are standing for either the district or county council elections?

Latest planning applications submitted to Epping Forest District Council.

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Epping Forest District Council has set a "responsible, prudent and balanced" budget for 2026-27 with its share of council tax bills to increase by 2.98%, finance portfolio holder Holly Whitbread has said.

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Probus Club of Epping president Arnold Verrall welcomed Andrew Lound to the club's latest lunch meeting when diners were given a talk titled 'Brunel’s Leviathan: The Great Eastern'.

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