North Thames Region – October Update

Our North Thames Region is based at our London office and covers Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. The team is headed by Michael Hardware and Sophie Coghlan. See further details and contacts on our North Thames Region page.

Local government reorganisation remained a key issue in September after the government announced a pause and review of the programme on 7 September. Decisions for Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk were withdrawn, while implementation in several other areas was paused as ministers consider the next steps. The government has also confirmed that local elections in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries, providing some short-term certainty for councils while the wider review continues.

Hertfordshire

North Hertfordshire

North Herts Planning Control Committee met on 3 September and resolved to grant permission for the land adjacent to 10, Hambridge Wat, Pirton application for up to 50 homes. The committee met again on 17 September but did not discuss any major housing applications.  There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced during September

East Herts

East Herts Development Management Committee meetings were cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for 21 October. After the resignation of Green Party Cllr Vicky Glover-Ward (Hertford Kingsmead ward), the executive member for planning, a by-election will be held on 22 October.

Three Rivers

Three Rivers Planning Committee met on 10 September and there was one major application discussed and granted for six new industrial units at Woodcock Hill Industrial Estate, Rickmansworth. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced during September.

St Albans

St Albans City and District Council Development Management Committee on 7 September was cancelled. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in St Albans during September.

Dacorum

Dacorum Borough Council Development Management Committee met on 10 September and discussed the Land East of Tring appeal for up to 1,400 homes. A motion was put forward that Very Special Circumstances now existed to justify the Green Belt development and that Dacorum should therefore stop contesting Reason 1 at the appeal. The motion failed and Dacorum will continue defending its Green Belt refusal at the appeal. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Dacorum during September.

Welwyn Hatfield

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Development Management Committee on 10 September was cancelled. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Welwyn Hatfield during September.

Hertsmere

Hertsmere Borough Council held a Planning Committee meeting on 10 September, there were no major applications discussed.

There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Hertsmere during September.

Watford

Watford Borough Council Development Management Committee on 1 September was cancelled. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Watford during  September.

Essex

Epping Forest

Epping Forest Planning Committee A meeting was cancelled while Planning Committee B met on 23 September and approved application for 16 affordable homes on Garage Site at Ladyfields, Loughton. There were no defections or local by-elections announced during the month.

Maldon

Maldon Planning Committee was busy in September with the committee meeting on 2 September to discuss and approved application land rear of 6-108 Mell Road, Tollesbury for 149 homes. Next, they discussed a hybrid application for 360 dwellings at in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex and it was approved.  Then the committee met again on 22 September to discuss an outline application for 150 homes east of 53 Seagers, Great Totham and it was recorded as awaiting a formal decision. Finally, they discussed an outline application for 140 dwellings in Threeway/The Street in Latchingdon and officers recommended approval, subject to S106 obligations and planning conditions.

Cllr Richard Siddall, who was elected as an Independent in Great Totham ward and had been a member of the Maldon District Independent Group, has left the group to sit as an ungrouped Independent.

Basildon

Basildon Planning Committee met on 9 September to discuss the application for 30 dwellings at land rear of 311 pound Lane, Bowers Gifford and deferred the application. The next major housing application discussed was the outline application for 49 homes at Magdalen Lodge, Potash Road, Billericay. It was refused as it seen as inappropriate development within the Green Belt. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Basildon during September.

Uttlesford

Uttlesford District Council held a Planning Committee on 2 September and on 30 September. On 2 September, there were no major applications discussed and on 30 September the committee received its regular Quality and Speed of Applications report and officers said performance remained positive. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Uttlesford during September.

Harlow

Harlow District Council held a Development Management Committee on 9 September, there were no major applications discussed. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Harlow during September, the LGR cancellation was mentioned at the meeting on 17 September.

Chelmsford

Chelmsford City Council held a Planning Committee on 15 September and approved the Land West of Barbrook Way, Priory Road (25/01158/OUT ) application for up to 250 dwellings. There were two councillor defections in Chelmsford during September 2026. Cllr Pete Davey, Great Baddow East ward changed from Liberal Democrat to Independent and Cllr Ashely John, South Woodham-Chetwood and Collingwood ward changed from Conservative to Independent. There were no new vacancies and no new by-elections.

Tendering

Tendering District Council held a Planning Committee on 3 September and 29 September. On the 3 September the committee discussed the Land north of Weeley Road, Great Bentley (25/01633/OUT) application, and are considering 120 homes against an officer recommendation for refusal.

During September, Tendring District Council saw two councillor defections: Cllr Bradley Thompson of West Clacton & Jaywick Sands left Reform UK to sit as an Independent, followed by Cllr Daniel Land of Thorpe, Beaumont & Great Holland, who left the Conservative Party to sit as an Independent. There were no new vacancies and no new by-elections.

Castle Point

Castle Point Borough Council held a Development Management Committee on 15 September, there were not major applications discussed. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Castle Point during September.

Rochford

Rochford District Council held a development committee on 24 September, there were no major applications discussed. On 23 September, Full Council approved the draft Rochford District Local Plan (Regulation 19) for consultation, with changes including the removal of six strategic site allocations (SR01–SR06).  There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Rochford during September.

Southend

Southend-On-Sea City Council held a Planning Committee on 16 September and refused the Land North of Bournes Green Chase (25/01792/OUTM) application for up to 2,000 homes. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Southend during September.

Thurrock

Thurrock Council held a Planning Committee on 8 September, there were no major planning applications discussed. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Thurrock during September.

Brentwood

Brentwood Borough Council held a Planning Committee meeting on 15 September, there were no major applications discussed. There were no defections, new vacancies or by-election dates announced in Brentwood during September.