Has anyone driven through Theydon Bois recently? A new blot on the landscape is being built on the corner of Orchard Drive & Coppice Row.

It dwarfs the neighbouring houses, and disregards the neighbouring building line.

Time was when planning was refused if neighbours complained that a window overlooked a neighbouring garden.

On December 11 EFDC gave consent to a seven storey building on Rectory Lane; despite objections from Loughton Town Council. It will be the tallest building in Epping Forest & visable from Canary Warf! Only the privacy of immediately adjacent buildings was considered.

Apparently EFDC felt committed by their 2008 decision to approve the plans of an urban development company, whose officers repeatedly referred to the area as a 'Borough'. This company did their assessment of footfall to & from the EFCollege during the college holidays in July!

Essex CC have done a similar assessment of traffic flows in absentia, ie not pertaining to the local area. 64 flats it was said ammount to an additional car per minute. That is an additional hour's jam folks. Their reference regarding traffic flows was Harlow & Chelmsford. So thats OK?

The new seven storey building will be adjacent not to a large town, but Debden's shopping parade.

Traffic concerns were dismissed by officers who stated at more than one meeting that the use of cars should be discouraged. Has anyone in Epping Forest ever voted for this idea?

It is time for folk to consider whether we want to keep the essential character of Epping Forest before it is changed/lost forever.

Heather Paget, Woodland Way, Theydon Bois.