Green-belt land around an Epping Forest parish has been saved from possible development by councillors who refused to have their home reclassified as a town.

Buckhurst Hill councillors have told of their shock when they were told the district council was to designate the parish as a town under the draft local plan.

The local plan sets out housing targets and areas for building, and takes years of consultation to prepare.

If the area was given such a classification – it would leave it open for the building of more homes.

At a meeting of the district council’s cabinet in September, it was said that Buckhurst Hill was a town.

Parish and district councillors Aniket Patel, Sylvia Watson and Neville Wright fought to have the proposal overturned, instead classifying the area as a ‘large village’.

Councillor Watson said: "We strongly objected to the status of 'town' rather than 'large village' because it would have led to a greater amount of the surrounding green belt land being considered for potential development under the local plan.”

At the cabinet meeting, cabinet member Richard Bassett acknowledged the objections and committed to review the position of Buckhurst Hill.

He has since written to the parish council and the revised report for adoption by the cabinet now classifies Buckhurst Hill as a ‘large village’.