Despite a damning verdict by Epping Town Council, mass opposition from local residents and a unanimous rejection by Epping Forest District Council, developer Troy Homes is still pursuing its proposal to build 58 dwellings to include overbearing 4 and 5 storey blocks of flats which will have an extremely adverse effect on the low-rise character of the local area and on the quality of life for local residents

We, the undersigned, are opposed to the proposed Troy Homes development of the Epping Laundry Site, to build 58 dwellings comprising of three blocks of 4 and 5 storey flats and 6 three-bedroom houses on the small former Epping laundry site.

We call on the Planning Inspectorate to uphold the refusal of this proposal on the basis of:

• It is an over-development of the site in terms of its size, height and bulk, which far exceeds that of the low-rise neighbouring properties and would have an extremely adverse effect on the character of the surrounding area.
• The reduction of units from 62 down to 58 is still too over-developed for the site and would have an extremely adverse effect on the character of the surrounding area.
• The Local Plan speaks of the need for more family homes in the town, these city-style flats are 'commuter barracks' not comfortable family homes. 
• This development fails to provide the government recommended quota for affordable housing in its proposal.  
• The overbearing 4-5 storey blocks of flats and the 11.2m houses (at their highest) will have an extremely detrimental impact for both Bower Vale and Bower Hill residents resulting in loss of natural light and privacy.  
• 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.  
• Sunlight report - This demonstrates the negative impact the development will have with regards to loss of sunlight/natural light for surrounding existing residents.
• Roof gardens have been added in blocks B, C & D in place of apartments. This will be worse for noise and for privacy and does nothing to address the height and bulk of the building.  
• 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 Hill & Bower Vale 1-15 residents with south facing gardens resulting in a loss of natural light of up to 25%.
• The development will have a detrimental effect on highway safety and local parking due to the generation of far more traffic than exists on an already busy Bower Hill road. The size of the access road onto the site and proposed parking are also inadequate.
• This over-sized and dominant development has implications for Epping Town and adds pressure to our local amenities including nurseries, schools, and doctors’ surgeries.
• 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 Design & Access statements are misleading, as they do not reflect the topography of the site.
• The Design & Aesthetic of the development is not in keeping with the surrounding existing properties and fails to preserve the distinctive local character of the area.