Elmbridge Borough Council’s Local Plan examination

Elmbridge's draft Local Plan: update 5 August 

At this time we are not proceeding with Stage Three of the draft Local Plan Examination in Public in September. We are waiting for a letter from the Planning Inspector with her findings from Stage Two. In particular her findings on Elmbridge's urban growth strategy which would deliver 263 homes per year against the 2021 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) target of 653 homes per year.

With its focus on sustainability and biodiversity, new homes and economic growth, the Elmbridge draft Local Plan is ambitious in its objective to ensure that Elmbridge remains a great place to live and work, while also representing the community’s desire not to build on Green Belt land. 

In the meantime, the new Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government, Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, has written to all Local Authorities outlining the Government’s plan to build homes to support the country’s housing crisis. As part of that letter she writes:

"For plans at examination this means allowing them to continue, although where there is a significant gap between the plan and the new local housing need figure, we will expect authorities to begin a plan immediately in the new system."

The Government is also consulting on proposed changes to the NPPF and methodology for calculating housing need. Under this new methodology Elmbridge’s housing target would rise to 1443 homes per year. 

We will need to look in detail at the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, to determine the impact on our draft Local Plan. We will let you know more in the weeks and months ahead.

While we work through both the Government’s consultation and the Examination in Public for the draft Local Plan, residents can be reassured that the current Plan, our Core Strategy & Development Management Plan, remains robust, active, and viable.

The Government’s current consultation ends 24 September 2024.

8 July: Examination in Public update

At this time, we will not proceed with Stage Three of the draft Local Plan Examination in Public in September. We are waiting for a letter from the Planning Inspector with her findings from Stage Two.

15 May 2024: Stage two of the examination in public continues
 

The date for the continuation of stage two of the examination in public has been set as the week of the 17 June 2024. 

March 2024: Stage two of the examination in public

The Planning Inspectorate has confirmed that they are satisfied we have complied with the Duty to Cooperate on our draft Local Plan stage one Examination in Public and that we can proceed to stage two of the examination due to start on 25 April. 

December 2023: First public hearing

The dates of the first public hearing sessions of the Draft Elmbridge Local Plan Examination have been confirmed. The first sessions will commence on Tuesday 27 February 2024 and will cover the Duty to Cooperate, as well as Legal and Procedural Compliance.

The session will be held in person in the Council Chamber. Those who made representations will have the opportunity to appear at the hearings and speak directly to the Inspector. The Programme Officer, Charlotte Glancy of Banks Solutions, will be in touch with those parties in due course.

The dates of the first hearing session are as follows, starting at 10.00 am each day:

• Tuesday 27 February 2024 (with Wednesday 28 February 2024 in reserve if required).

Please also refer to the Notice of Independent Examination Hearings (PDF, 60.25KB) (document reference COUD003) for further details.