A major review which could ultimately lead to green belt land being “released” for development will be considered tonight (September 3).

At a cabinet meeting of Epping Forest District Council, the first stage of the ongoing green belt review will be discussed and potentially added to the developing local plan, which decides what land can be used for new building work.

More than 90 per cent of the district is green belt, providing a major restriction for potential developments.

The first stage report has considered 61 “parcels” of the area against the purposes of the green belt – checking “unrestricted sprawl” of large built-up areas, preventing neighbouring towns merging, safeguarding the countryside, preserving the character of historic towns and assisting in urban regeneration by reusing appropriate land.

Each of the parcels makes a “strong or relatively” strong contribution to each of these objectives, the report found.

Comments were made on the review by 20 of the 24 town and parish councils in Epping Forest.

The agenda for tonight’s meeting stresses that “it is not within the remit of a green belt review to determine whether green belt land should be released.”

It adds however that: “This green belt review will provide the robust evidence necessary to inform… whether and to what extent it is appropriate to release land from the green belt to accommodate new development.”

The loss of green belt land is a highly controversial issue in Epping Forest, with housing demand battling the desire to maintain the nature of the area.

After the first stage of the report is implemented or otherwise tonight, a second stage looking at specific areas in detail will be carried out with Harlow District Council.

This is expected to cost £40,000 and be completed in February 2016.

The meeting runs from 7pm in Epping Civic Offices, and is available to watch online at http://www.eppingforestdc.public-i.tv/core/portal/home.