West Essex
Future unitary authority area in England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
West Essex will be a unitary authority area scheduled to be created in April 2028 in Essex, England. Created as part of an ongoing local government reorganisation, it will be formed from the three existing districts of Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford. The first councillors to West Essex Council will be elected at the 2027 West Essex Council election in May 2027. The largest settlement in the district is Harlow.
West Essex | |
|---|---|
Future unitary authority area | |
 West Essex shown within Essex | |
 Interactive map of West Essex | |
| Coordinates: 51.779°N 0.128°E | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | East |
| Ceremonial county | Essex |
| Incorporated | 1 April 2028 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unitary authority |
| • Body | West Essex Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 390.2 sq mi (1,010.7 km2) |
| Population (2023 estimate) | |
• Total | 325,609 |
| • Density | 834.40/sq mi (322.16/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
History
In February 2025, Essex was accepted into the Devolution Priority Programme.[1] Tied to this, councils were invited to submit proposals for the reorganisation of local government districts by September 2025. The government held statutory consultations from November 2025 to January 2026 and made a decision in March 2026.[2] In West Essex, it was decided to create a new unitary authority district by combining Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford.[3][4]
Geography
The largest settlement in the district will be the new town of Harlow. The Office for National Statistics mid-2023 population estimate of the district is 325,609.[5]
Parishes
Harlow is unparished and all of the rest of the area is made of civil parishes.[6]
- Abbess Beauchamp and Berners Roding, Arkesden, Ashdon, Aythorpe Roding
- Barnston, Berden, Birchanger, Bobbingworth, Broxted, Buckhurst Hill
- Chickney, Chigwell, Chrishall, Clavering
- Debden
- Elmdon, Elsenham, Epping, Epping Upland
- Farnham, Felsted, Flitch Green, Fyfield
- Great Canfield, Great Chesterford, Great Dunmow, Great Easton, Great Hallingbury, Great Sampford
- Hadstock, Hatfield Broad Oak, Hatfield Heath, Hempstead, Henham, High Easter, High Laver, High Ongar, High Roothing
- Lambourne, Langley, Leaden Roding, Lindsell, Little Bardfield, Little Canfield, Little Chesterford, Little Dunmow, Little Easton, Little Hallingbury, Little Laver, Little Sampford, Littlebury, Loughton
- Magdalen Laver, Manuden, Margaret Roding, Matching, Moreton
- Nazeing, Newport, North Weald Bassett
- Ongar
- Quendon and Rickling
- Radwinter, Roydon
- Saffron Walden, Sewards End, Sheering, Stanford Rivers, Stansted Mountfitchet, Stapleford Abbotts, Stapleford Tawney, Stebbing, Strethall
- Takeley, Thaxted, Theydon Bois, Theydon Garnon, Theydon Mount, Tilty
- Ugley
- Waltham Abbey, Wenden Lofts, Wendens Ambo, White Roothing, Wicken Bonhunt, Widdington, Willingale, Wimbish
Governance
The local authority will be West Essex Council. The first councillors will be elected in the 2027 West Essex Council election.[7][4]