Looking after Epping Forest

More on the local environment.

Epping Forest Transport Strategy consultation
The Epping Forest Transport Strategy 2009-2016 sets out plans to manage and reduce the impact of traffic in the Forest and promote more sustainable ways of visiting and travelling through the Forest. Essex County Council proposes to reduce speed limits on some roads - from 60mph to 40mph, from 60mph to 30mph and from 30mph to 20mph - and ban cars from two roads in the Forest. Full details of the proposals.

Cattle grids
The Public Local Inquiry into the four proposed cattle grids and by-pass areas was held in November 2011.  We are expecting the decision of the Secretary of State early in 2012.

Speed limits and road closures
The proposed prohibition of motor vehicles on Fairmead Road is currently being advertised, with responses to be sent in by 3rd February 2012. You can view the documents online under Epping Forest Transport Strategy Fairmead Road.

The speed limit changes published last year will be implemented in Spring 2012, as will the prohibition of motor vehicles from Lodge Road and Queen’s Green.

Lee Valley Park Farms
The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority has decided to invest £84,000 to create an Alpine Adventure area at Hayes Hill Farm and an interactive dairy project at the neighbouring working and visitor commercial farm Holyfield Hall. The attractions include a toboggan run, reindeer attraction, a new ‘World of Farming’ exhibit to educate visitors on farming in different regions of the world and an interactive herd of milkable cows to enhance Holyfield Hall Farm’s appeal as a family and educational experience. The Park Authority will now apply for planning permission for the toboggan run. [Note: the farms re-open on February 11th].

Have your say on the Forest Forums and click on Angling, Cycling, Dog-walking, Horse-riding, Running or Walking.

Get on your bike in Epping Forest!
The City of London Corporation have announced that, for the first time, and due to popular demand, cycle hire is now available in Epping Forest. Bikes are suitable for all, including children from four years of age. Also available to hire are child seats, trailers and tag-a-long bikes. School groups and corporate groups can be catered for. More

Newly refurbished Butler’s Retreat Cafe / Restaurant, now open
This historic building in the heart of Epping Forest, at Chingford, next to Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge, is open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday.

• More information on

• Butler’s Retreat

• Epping Forest and the Branching Out project, The Forest Friends

• City of London website

Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge
The City of London: Epping Forest and Commons Committee was asked to return the Lodge to its “traditional” black and white external appearance. A long-established medieval method of protecting the exposed timbers of buildings was to coat the timber with the same material used to protect the infill panels, usually a limewash or colourwash - it was not until Victorian times that tar oil was applied to blacken timber frames. The 1989 restoration of the Hunting Lodge was focused on undoing much well intentioned, but damaging alterations and renovations, inflicted on the Hunting Lodge, which had originally been limewashed. See item 7 of their July Minutes

Work done in the Forest in 2011: for details, see item 11 of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee July Minutes

The car park at Barn Hoppitt is now open – the colours of the new two tone Mastertint surface should mellow over the next few months.

The car park at Bury Road is almost finished and will eventually be signposted as the main car park for visiting Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge.

Connaught Water: the accessible trail round the lake is being resurfaced (wherever possible, the route around the lake will stay open, but the car park will have to be closed for a few months). Volunteers have already planted two reed beds on the far side of the lake, and will be involved in building boardwalks and more planting once the resurfacing work is over.

Pillow Mounds car park at High Beach: the improvements are scheduled to start in December/January and will last about three months.

Extracts from Agenda papers for the City of London Epping Forest & Commons Committee

Crown reductions: the Conservators propose to carry out crown reductions on at least a further 240veteran pollards (Beech and Oak only, and their immediate neighbours), as part of the Heritage Lottery Fund-funded Keystone Trees project. In addition to the crown reduction work, many of these pollards will require extra clearance work, both to reduce competition for light (‘halo’ release) and to allow access. This clearance is planned so as to contribute to the wider wood-pasture restoration wherever possible, including the creation of a new generation of pollards.

Tree removals: there are also plans to continue to remove Turkey Oaks, Sycamore and Norway Maple in particular locations, and to continue rhododendron management.