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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-188

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". Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-187

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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-186

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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-185

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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-184

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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-183

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... cutt.ly/EEF-newsroun...

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.

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.

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... Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-178

A man was taken to hospital after his car left Epping High Road and hit a tree bursting into flames. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-175

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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-174

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". Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-173

​Historian Percy Thompson has been recognised with a Loughton Town Council heritage blue plaque on his one-time Loughton home.   Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-172

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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-170

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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-169

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. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-166

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'. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-165

News round-up: Check out the latest news round-up from Everything Epping Forest... cutt.ly/EEF-newsroun...

Concrete blocks are now in place across the entrance of the massive fly-tip site in Epping Lane, Stapleford Tawney, after the Environment Agency took court action to shut down the site. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-163

The maximum fines which can be imposed against fly-tippers are to be reviewed by Epping Forest District Council's Place Scrutiny Committee next month. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-162

'POTHOLE WATCH' LATEST - LOWER SWAINES, EPPING See more potholes on Everything Epping Forest's 'Pothole Watch' page - cutt.ly/EEF-2026-POT... If you have reported a pothole, please let Everything Epping Forest know. Email the details and pictures to [email protected]

'POTHOLE WATCH' LATEST - SPARELEAZE HILL, LOUGHTON See more potholes on Everything Epping Forest's 'Pothole Watch' page - cutt.ly/EEF-2026-POT... If you have reported a pothole, please let Everything Epping Forest know. Email the details and pictures to [email protected]

'POTHOLE WATCH' LATEST - WHITEHILLS ROAD, LOUGHTON A reader said: "This is really near another one which had been filled in, although not very well and likely it won't last. Why oh why couldn't they do them at the same time? It seems so ridiculous." See more potholes at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-POT...

Three men who were arrested on suspicion of theft after police were alerted to the theft of cable at Loughton Station have been released on bail pending further enquiries. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-160

Two Waltham Abbey dog owners have agreed to strict conditions relating to dog ownership after their pets killed eight sheep and injured 12 others in Nazeing. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-159

Epping Forest District Council's new £60-a-year subscription garden waste collection service - which will not collect turf, earth and soil - could be withdrawn from areas where "there are not enough registered customers to cover the cost", the council has said. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-158

Work to install average speed cameras on the A414 between Chelmsford and North Weald is expected to be completed by mid-March. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-157

North Weald Bassett Draft Neighbourhood Plan Regulation 14 consultation...

New plans have been submitted to convert the former Waltham Abbey Police Station - which has stood empty for 15 years - into a mixed-use development including eight flats. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-156

Woodgreen Road, Waltham Abbey, is not usually visited by ducks but today's heavy rain brought the unexpected opportunity of new surroundings for this trio. (Photo: Peter Sampson)

For details about Everything Epping Forest's VOTE 2026 coverage and links to the VOTE 2026 page and the WhatsApp group, email [email protected]

Latest planning applications submitted to Epping Forest District Council. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-153

'POTHOLE WATCH' LATEST - FAIRFIELD ROAD, ONGAR See more potholes on Everything Epping Forest's 'Pothole Watch' page - cutt.ly/EEF-2026-POT... If you have reported a pothole, please let Everything Epping Forest know. Email the details and pictures to [email protected]

A planning application has been submitted for ten houses off Ivy Chimneys Road, Epping. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-152

A councillor who has reported 15 fly-tip incidents already this month is calling for "decent, eye-watering fines" for the "lazy, selfish scumbags" who are treating the district as a "dumping ground". Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-151

VOTE 2026: Epping Forest District Council is holding an online briefing for anyone standing as a district council election candidate and anyone acting as an agent at 6pm on Monday, February 23. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-149

News round-up: Check out the latest news round-up from Everything Epping Forest... cutt.ly/EEF-newsroun...

VOTE 2026 - ELECTION ADVERTISING The Epping Forest Independent Group is looking for residents who care about their area and want to stand as Independent candidates in May's parish, district and county council elections. Email [email protected] or visit efig.uk for more information.

BREAKING: Three people - a man and two teenagers - who were arrested in connection with the death of a pedestrian on Palmerston Road, Buckhurst Hill, on Christmas Eve 2024 have had their police bail date extended for a fifth time. Read more at cutt.ly/EEF-2026-148

'FLYTIP WATCH' LATEST: COPPERFIELD, CHIGWELL The director of a construction company has been fined £400 after a district council officer caught a member of his staff dumping household rubbish in Copperfield, Chigwell. Bookmark the 'Flytip Watch' page at cutt.ly/EEF-FLYTIPWA...