The council has been told it needs to re-think its plan for 8,000 new homes in order to better meet demand for affordable homes.
Planning inspector, Christa Masters says the current plan, which is laid out up to 2040, is “unsound.”
The council has adopted a “brownfield only approach” of building on land that had previously been developed.
The authority says building on greenbelt has not been popular with residents in the past.
Elmbridge draft Local Plan Examination in Public update
“Following two stages of the Elmbridge draft Local Plan Examination in Public, the Planning Inspector has written to us with her findings and recommendations on the Elmbridge Local Plan.
The key takeaway from the letter is that in its current form, the Inspector finds the Elmbridge draft Local Plan “unsound” meaning she would not approve the Plan in its current form.
However, a pathway towards a revised draft Local Plan which could then be deemed “sound” has been provided by the Inspector.
The Inspector also acknowledges the government’s recent actions to increase house building in England, including the current consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which would increase Elmbridge’s housing target to 1,443 per year.
While these are of course considerations for all local authorities, residents should be aware that the Elmbridge draft Local Plan is being assessed against the current NPPF which has a housing target of 650 per year.”
