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INTERIM REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICT AND POLLING PLACES 2026

Share your views – Epping Forest’s Consultation on an Interim Review of Polling Stations 2026

Have your say on the proposed changes to Polling Stations within Epping Forest District Council.

Take part in our interim Polling Station Consultation for eight of the polling stations within the district that require changes. The consultation is open until 5pm on Friday 11 September 2026. We want to ensure that our plans are supported by residents, stakeholders and the community at large.
Polling Station Proposals

The (Acting ) Returning Officer for Epping Forest has considered the following factors, location, size, availability and accessibility and intends to make the following changes.

Changes to Venues

Venue 1:
  • Current venue: Epping Upland CofE Primary School, Carters Lane, Epping Green, CM16 6QJ
  • Ward: Epping West & Rural
  • Number of electors registered: 23
  • Proposed alternative venue for elections from 2027: Conference Room at Epping Hall, St Johns Road, Epping, CM16 5JU
  • Miles apart: 3.5
  • Travel time by car: 8 minutes
  • Reason: Boundary changes in 2025 divided Epping Upland Parish Council into two wards; Epping Green and Pond Field. Due to the new boundaries, Pond Field ward now came under the Epping & Theydon Bois Division. To address this issue, it is proposed to move those electors to the Conference Room at Epping Hall, St Johns Road, Epping.
Venue 2:
  • Current venue: Victory Hall, Hainault Road, Chigwell, IG7 6QX
  • Ward: Grange Hill
  • Number of electors registered: 990
  • Proposed alternative venue for elections from 2027: St Winifred's Church Hall, Manor Road, Chigwell, IG7 5PS
  • Miles apart: 0.8
  • Travel time by car: 3 minutes
  • Reason: Following the 2025 review for Epping Forest, the Polling District of St John’s had to be split to reflect the new district wards. This led to the creation of Polling District - West Hatch. The polling station previously used in 2024 & 2026 had been Victory Hall, Chigwell, although this is not within the polling district. It has been determined that this polling district should be relocated within St Winifred’s Church Hall, Manor Road, Chigwell due to it being within the same parish ward of Grange Hill.
Venue 3:
  • Current venue: Kingsley Hall, 5 Austin Close, Loughton, IG10 3TX
  • Ward: Loughton Fairmead
  • Number of electors registered: 834
  • Proposed alternative venue for elections from 2027: Barrington Close Centre, 4 Barrington Close, Loughton, IG10 2AZ
  • Miles apart: 0.5
  • Travel time by car: 3 minutes
  • Reason: Following the 2025 boundary review, the Polling District - Willingale had to be split to reflect the new district ward. This led to the creation of Polling District - Barrington. The polling station previously used in 2024 & 2026 had been Kingsley Hall, Loughton although it was felt that the hall was not adequate for two polling districts. The polling station, nearest within the same town ward, is around 20/30 min walk. Therefore, it is proposed that a new polling station be created within the poling district at Barrington Close Centre, Barrington Close, Loughton.
Venue 4:
  • Current venue: St Peter's Church Hall, High Street, Roydon, CM19 5EF
  • Ward: Roydon & Lower Nazeing
  • Number of electors registered: 397
  • Proposed alternative venue for elections from 2027: St Christopher's Hall, Dobbs Weir Road, Dobbs Weir, EN11 0BE
  • Miles apart: 2.9
  • Travel time by car: 8 minutes
  • Reason: St Christopher's Hall, Dobbs Weir Road, Dobbs Weir has now been renovated and is now fit for purpose. It is proposed to move back to this polling station which is within the polling district.


Venue 5:
  • Current venue: Matching Village Hall, The Green, Matching Tye, Harlow, CM17 0QS
  • Ward: Rural East
  • Number of electors registered: 57
  • Proposed alternative venue for elections from 2027: Magdalen Laver Village Hall, Tilegate Road, Magdalen Laver, CM5 0EG
  • Miles apart: 3.3
  • Travel time by car: 9 minutes
  • Reason: It is proposed to move High Laver East and Little Laver polling places to Magdalen Laver Village Hall, Tilgate Road, Magdalen Laver because although it is not within the polling districts, it would align the polling districts within the Parish Council wards.

Venue 6:
  • Current venue: Matching Village Hall, The Green, Matching Tye, Harlow, CM17 0QS
  • Ward: Rural East
  • Number of electors registered: 92
  • Proposed alternative venue for elections from 2027: Magdalen Laver Village Hall, Tilegate Road, Magdalen Laver, CM5 0EG
  • Miles apart: 3.3
  • Travel time apart: 9 minutes
  • Reason: It is proposed to move High Laver East and Little Laver polling places to Magdalen Laver Village Hall, Tilgate Road, Magdalen Laver because although it is not within the polling districts, it would align the polling districts within the Parish Council wards.
Venue 7:
  • Current venue: Leverton Primary School, Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3BE
  • Ward: Waltham Abbey South & Rural
  • Number of electors registered: 1806
  • Proposed alternative venue for elections from 2027: Brookways, Roundhills, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1UU
  • Miles apart: 0.6
  • Travel time by car: 3 minutes
  • Reason: The mobile classroom used at Leverton Primary School, Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey was not available for the local elections in May 2026, as it had been condemned. The polling district were moved into the nearest polling stations and within their respective Parish ward which come into existence in 2027, following the review of the Districts Council’s local boundary review in 2024. This worked well for the local elections in May 2026 and so it proposed to continue with this arrangement.

Venue 8:
  • Current venue: Leverton Primary School, Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3BE
  • Number of electors registered: 1048
  • Ward: Waltham Abbey North
  • Proposed alternative venue for elections from 2027: Community Room, Waltham Abbey Leisure Centre, 19 Hill House, Waltham Abbey, EN9 3EL
  • Miles apart: 1.3
  • Travel time by car: 6 minutes
  • Reason: The mobile classroom used at Leverton Primary School, Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey was not available for the local elections in May 2026, as it had been condemned. The polling district were moved into the nearest polling stations and within their respective Parish ward which come into existence in 2027, following the review of the Districts Council’s local boundary review in 2024. This worked well for the local elections in May 2026 and so it proposed to continue with this arrangement.
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