Garden Town partners, Epping Forest District Council, have confirmed that an appeal from Hallam Land and CEG has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate following the refusal of a planning application for development at Latton Priory.
Latton Priory is one of the proposed Harlow & Gilston Garden Town development sites.
The application was refused by their Planning Committee B on February 25 2026 after careful consideration of the proposals against the adopted Local Plan and relevant national planning policy.
It proposed a mixed-use development of up to 1,340 dwellings along with schools, community facilities, open space, traveller pitches, commercial uses and supporting infrastructure.
Epping Forest District Council maintain that the decision was appropriate, as the proposals from Hallam Land and CEG did not meet the standards required for the:
· Provision of sufficient affordable housing
· Impact on traffic and transport
· Need for a legally binding agreement to secure essential infrastructure
· Protection of the natural environment, including the Epping Forest itself
Leader of Epping Forest District Council, Cllr Chris Whitbread, said: “We recognise that this is a significant application and one that has generated strong local interest.
“The council considered the proposals in detail before reaching its decision to refuse permission.
“This council will not accept poor-quality development imposed on our communities.
“We made a clear and considered decision to refuse this application, and we stand firmly behind it.
“Our residents expect us to ensure that developments across the district are of an appropriate quality and are supported by the necessary infrastructure.
“We are prepared to defend decisions where proposals do not meet the standards expected for development in the Epping Forest district, including those that make up our contribution to the Harlow & Gilston Garden Town project, and we are prepared to make that case strongly through the appeals process.
“As part of the next stage, the Planning Inspectorate will review the appeal and determine whether the council’s decision should be upheld or overturned.”
Epping Forest District Council will now take part in the formal appeals process and will robustly defend its decision.
As is standard for the planning appeal process, Epping Forest District Council will engage with the applicants alongside the Government’s Planning Inspectorate on the next steps and timetable for the public inquiry.
The appeal is not associated with the recent S62A Government (Planning Special Measures) Direction given to Epping Forest District Council on June 15 2026.
