Retirement Villages Group, the developer owned by insurance company AXA has been granted planning permission to build a sustainable retirement village which will deliver 144 homes for over 65s.  

A previous application to develop an assisted living scheme on the site, submitted by a different developer, was rejected in 2022 due to insufficient Section 106 contributions and concerns that it would constitute “inappropriate development” of the green belt. 

Epping Forest District Council’s report on the Retirement Villages Group’s application notes that the site is designated in the Local Plan for “specialist residential accommodation,” with the only remaining area within the green belt being the access road.