Epping Forest District Council has just nodded through plans for 62 new homes with 24 affordable units at the Thornwood site.

The site is the first major approval of development since the Epping Forest area was designated as Special Area of Conservation hampering the council’s ability to approve housing schemes.

Existing buildings on a field roughly the size of four football pitches will be demolished to make way for the houses and flats.

Chigwell aims to start the development in the summer and is working very closely with the Council to obtain planning and be in a position to start delivering a number of large sites in the coming months.

Dean Floyd, chairman of Chigwell Construction, said: “The delivery of the site and the new homes is a deserved win not only for Chigwell Construction but for the immediate benefit to local residents and assists with Epping Forest District Council housing position.

“We agreed from the outset that we would offer 40% affordable to assist the council with the desperate housing shortage across all aspects of housing delivery, added to that 2 hectares of open space and the considerable £1.5m s.106 contributions.”