A rugby club at the heart of the local community says its plans to improve its infrastructure will ensure it can continue to play a leading role in local sport for decades to come.
Epping Upper Clapton Rugby Football Club in Thornwood wants to install a new all-weather pitch and relocate its existing floodlights, demolish its old clubhouse and build a new function hall and current car park and provide additional car parking spaces.
To achieve its goal, the club is also seeking planning approval for an enabling development of nine houses - three semi-detached houses and a terrace of three properties - on the site of a previously-used overflow car park.
Each property would have off-street car parking and rear private gardens.
The proposals met with no objection from North Weald Bassett Parish Council.
Epping Upper Clapton RFC recently launched a community link with Epping Town Football Club with the football club using the Upland Road facilities for its pre-season training.
The football club, which plays its matches at the Stonards Hill recreation ground in Epping, will also use the rugby club's clubhouse to host visiting sides after matches and will look to use the club for its own social events.
Epping Upper Clapton RFC chairman Paul Donnelly said: "Sport will be more important than ever when we come through the current crisis.
"It is vital we all remember that we are first and foremost a club with major community-sharing responsibilities and if we can help other sports clubs in any way in these tough times, we are duty bound and aim to do so."
He added: "Whilst our pitches are under pressure to be used for our own purposes in the rugby season - where we will be looking to provide for our own mens, womens and youth sections - we can and will support Epping Town in the close season as much as possible, and are delighted to do so.
"We have enough space available for the football club to use one of our pitches and we also look forward to being able to welcome the club to use our indoor facilities when it is safe to do so.”
Epping Upper Clapton Rugby Football Club engaged positively with the local community before it submitted its planning application with a leaflet drop to more than 450 homes and a public exhibition in January which was attended by almost 100 people, including key local stakeholders.
For more breaking news, local headlines and features, ‘like’ our Facebook page.
We also have a Twitter account: @EppingFGuardian
Follow us to keep up-to-date with news in Epping Forest.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here