PERMISSION to build 65 homes on a garden centre in Thornwood has been granted by councillors reports the Local Democracy Reporter.

The outline planning application for 65 homes on the former Happy Grow Nursery site in High Road adds further pressure to an area where residents have raised concerns over the growing number of building plans.

Thornwood has approximately 400 homes, but with this scheme and the others that have already been approved along High Road, the number is set to double within a few years.

The Happy Grow proposal was previously deferred by the planning committee in September due to concerns about access to the site and road width.

However, the plan has been accepted by the parish council.

However, Epping Forest District Council’s planning committee was told the plan did comply with Essex Highways standards. The site has already been included in the council’s local plan for development, which sets out where new houses should be built and how many.

Agent for the developers, Matthew Corcoran, told the committee: “This site forms a very important part of your local plan allocated for development.

“It also sees brownfield land being redeveloped for high-quality housing, open spaces and infrastructure.

“The limited objections received are a great example of democratic consensual planning working together in our opinion. And the matters raised by the community have been thoroughly considered by the officers.”