Planning permission has been granted for 42 new homes on Oak Hill Road in Stapleford Abbotts, with award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group securing approval for a thoughtfully designed residential scheme on the edge of the Essex village. Located within Epping Forest and close to the Havering border, the development aims to integrate naturally with the existing community while addressing local housing demand.
The revised plans build on a previous consent for the site, introducing improved layouts and updated designs shaped by community consultation. Forty per cent of the homes will be delivered as affordable housing in partnership with B3Living, providing a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership homes for local residents.
All homes will be built to Hill’s exacting sustainability standards, featuring air-source heat pumps, electric vehicle charging points, and a range of energy-efficient measures designed to help households reduce energy consumption and lower running costs.
Set at the edge of the village, the development has been carefully planned to enhance local biodiversity and green space. Proposals include a 10% biodiversity net gain, bird and bat boxes, an attenuation pond and a children’s playground. These features will sit alongside new landscaping that complements the village’s rural character.
The location benefits from easy access to Stapleford Abbots’ local amenities, including the village shop and pub, and the local primary school, rated Good by Ofsted. The site is allocated for residential development within the Epping Forest Local Plan to help meet long-term housing demand.
Andy Hill OBE, Founder and Group Chief Executive of The Hill Group, said: “We are delighted to receive planning permission for our new development in Stapleford Abbots. This thoughtfully designed neighbourhood will provide much-needed high-quality homes, including a significant proportion of affordable housing for the local community. Our updated plans reflect extensive consultation and respond sensitively to the village’s character, delivering sustainable homes and generous green spaces that future residents can enjoy for generations.”
Jon Hayden, Executive Director of Development at B3Living, commented: “We are pleased to be partnering with The Hill Group to bring new affordable homes to Stapleford Abbots. The mix of affordable rent and shared ownership properties will offer local families high-quality, energy-efficient homes in a desirable rural setting, helping to meet the ongoing need for genuinely affordable housing in the district.”
Work on site is expected to begin in early 2026, with the show home opening in late summer 2026 and full completion anticipated by summer 2027.
