Essex

There has been a major change in the scale of the opportunities across Essex, with the new NPPF increasing housing delivery targets by circa 30% and creating new prospects in the Green Belt.

Most local planning authorities are responding - moving forward with new plans seeking to deliver the growth required and taking a pragmatic approach to the promotion of immediate proposals on suitable sites, to help keep pace with the increased targets.  

The introduction of Grey Belt policy has had a major impact in Essex, opening up new opportunities on sites that were previously challenging to promote due to Green Belt protection. Poor housing delivery and land supply positions across virtually all of Essex’s Green Belt authorities mean that sites qualifying as Grey Belt can offer good immediate prospects.

Devolution and local government reorganisation will present opportunities and challenges in the longer term. The majority of authorities are backing the creation of a Mayoral Combined County Authority by 2026 and the creation of five new unitary authorities to cover the whole of Essex by 2028, replacing all 15 existing district, borough, city, unitary and county councils. This offers the potential for greater efficiencies, better resourcing and more joined up thinking on strategic planning and infrastructure provision in due course, but there is a risk of disruption during the transition.  

Five-Year Land Supply

The Housing Delivery Test is currently engaging the presumption in favour of sustainable development in Uttlesford, Epping Forest, Thurrock, Basildon, Castle Point and Southend. A five-year land supply deficit is applying the presumption in Maldon and can be seen in many of the areas where is it already triggered by the Housing Delivery Test. Braintree, Colchester and Tendring are likely to fall into significant land supply deficits in early 2026 when their adopted Local Plans become five years old and the NPPF’s housing targets take precedence. We would advise clients to prepare now to utilise the emerging opportunities.