People’s views are being sought on changes to a 11,400-home plan.

The local plan, an Epping Forest district-wide document which identifies the vision and aspirations for the future of the area including changes to the green belt and thousands of new homes, has had further changes proposed.

Consultation on the changes, known as ‘further main modifications’ started on October 28 and will run for six weeks, until December 9.

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Councillor Nigel Bedford, who is responsible for planning, said: “I am encouraging everyone with an interest in planning, and particularly those that have followed the plan’s examination, to take a look at the consultation. You have six weeks to have your say.

“The council will publish all the responses online and collate for the inspector’s review. This has been a long and rigorous process but I am very optimistic.

“The end of the process is in sight and the formal adoption of the local plan is only a short time away.”

The plan identifies sites which can be developed and those which should be protected, and its policies will be used to assess planning permission.

Cllr Bedford added: “We need to be clear that the consultation relates solely to the further main modifications to the emerging plan, which have not been consulted upon before.

Epping Forest Guardian: Proposed Green Belt Boundary AlterationsProposed Green Belt Boundary Alterations (Image: Epping Forest District Council)

“The planning inspector will not consider responses on parts of the plan that are not subject to further change.

The councillor added that the overall housing requirement of 11,400 new homes across the plan period 2011 to 2033 remains the same despite modifications he described as “limited changes to some of the supporting text and policies within the plan and changes to reflect updated housing supply data to March 2022.”

Changes include alterations to green belt and housebuilding mapping as well as rewording the requirements for development.

Consultation responses will be sent to the independent government-appointed inspector who will determine whether the local plan is sound and make his final recommendations to the Secretary of State.

Personal information such as contact details and addresses will be removed from consultation responses before responses are published for everyone to read on the council’s local plan website.