News and updates

Tuesday 23 October: Inspector's final response letter issued

Further to the council's request to extend the timetable to allow the Local Plan to proceed, the Inspector has written a final letter that denies this request and advises that either the plan is withdrawn by the council or a full report will be issued which will conclude that the plan is unsound. 

Please see the news article with the council's response.

The Inspector's final response letter to the LPA is available to view (document reference ID-022).

Tuesday 1 October: Elmbridge responds to the Inspector's Interim Findings Letter

The council issued its response to the Inspector's Interim Findings Letter, in which it confirms its commitment to continuing with the Local Plan process.

The council has put forward a 12 and 15 month timetable in which the work required by the Inspector to move the Local Plan forward can be completed. The 15 month timetable is the council's preferred option as it would allow the council to engage with residents and communities on the process.

The council's full response is available to view (document reference COUD09 - COUD012).

Wednesday 11 September: Inspector's Interim Findings issued

On 11 September 2024 the Inspector issued her interim findings (document reference ID-21) after Stage 2 of the Local Plan Examination. The Inspector found the draft Plan unsound as submitted but that it may be capable of being made sound through main modifications. However, at this time the Examination will not be progressing to Stage 3.

Monday 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.

Wednesday 16 June 2024: Change to the Stage 2 hearing programme

The Stage 2 hearing programme of the Elmbridge Local Plan Examination has been amended. Friday 21 June 2024 is no longer a programmed sitting day. Please refer to the latest hearing programme for the most up to date programme. 

Monday 10 June 2024: Change of room for hearing sessions on 28 June

The Local Plan Examination hearing sessions taking place on Friday 28 June 2024 will now be held in Committee Rooms 1 and 2 at the Council's Civic Centre and not the Council Chambers. 

Friday 17 May 2024: Additional hearing date added

An additional hearing session has been added to the programme of Stage 2 of the Elmbridge Draft Local Plan Examination in Public. 

The additional hearing session will start at 9:15 am on Friday 28 June 2024 and will be held at: Elmbridge Borough Council Civic Centre, High Street, Esher, KT10 9SD, in the Council Chamber. 

Please refer to the Notice of Independent Examination Hearings (document reference COUD007) available under Council documents for further details. 

Friday 10 May 2024: Amended Stage 2 Hearing Programme

The Inspector has written to Elmbridge Borough Council confirming an amended timetable for the Stage 2 hearing programme. Please refer to the Inspector's amended timetable (ID-006) for further details. 

Thursday 2 May 2024: Inspector confirms pause to Elmbridge Local Plan Examination

The Inspector has written to Elmbridge Borough Council to confirm that the Stage 2 Local Plan Examination hearings are paused. The date at which the Examination will resume will be communicated in due course. Please refer to the Inspector's letter (ID-018) for further details. 

Tuesday 30 April 2024: Elmbridge Borough Council request pause to Local Plan Examination

Elmbridge Borough Council has requested a pause to the Local Plan Examination. Please refer to the Council's letter to the Inspector (COUD006) for further details. 

Wednesday 6 March 2024: Elmbridge receives confirmation that the Local Plan Examination will proceed to Stage 2

The Inspector has confirmed via a letter to the Council that the Elmbridge Local Plan Examination will proceed to the Stage 2 hearings. The letter (document reference ID-008) is available to view on the Inspector's Correspondence area of the Local Plan Examination webpage. 

Monday 4 March 2024: Inspector issues extension to the council's deadline to respond to part of matter 9 - site allocations of Stage 2 of the Local Plan Examination hearings

The Inspector has confirmed an extension to the council's deadline to respond to the issues under matter 9 - site allocations of Stage 2 of the Local Plan Examination hearings, which will be discussed during the Stage 2 hearings on Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 June (days 13-15 of the Local Plan Examination hearings). The deadline will now be close of play on 20 May 2024 for these issues. 

The deadline for all other matters, issues and questions under Stage 2 of the Examination will continue to be close of play on 25 March 2024. 

Wednesday 8 February 2024: Stage 2 of the Local Plan Examination along with the associated MIQs and guidance note confirmed

The dates of the second stage of public hearing sessions for the Draft Elmbridge Local Plan Examination have been confirmed. The first session will commence on Thursday 25 April 2024 starting at 10am and will cover the spatial strategy and the distribution of growth over the Plan period, including the approach to the Green Belt and site allocations. There will be some flexibility on the start time of subsequent days which will start at 9:30am or 10am.

The hearing sessions will be structured by the following matters:

• Matter 2: the approach to housing need
• Matter 3: the vision, spatial strategy and the distribution of growth over the Plan period
• Matter 4: the housing requirement
• Matter 5: housing delivery
• Matter 6: affordable housing
• Matter 7: other housing matters
• Matter 8: meeting employment needs
• Matter 9: site allocations

The dates of the Stage 2 hearing sessions are as follows (inclusive of reserve days):

Week 1: Week commencing 22 April 2024

• Thursday 25 April 2024
• Friday 26 April 2024 

Week 2: Week commencing 29 April 2024

• Monday 29 April 2024
• Tuesday 30 April 2024 
• Wednesday 1 May 2024 
• Thursday 2 May 2024 

Week 3: Week commencing 6 May 2024

• Tuesday 7 May 2024 
• Wednesday 8 May 2024 
• Thursday 9 May 2024 
• Friday 10 May 2024 

Week 4: Week commencing 17 June 2024

• Tuesday 18 June 2024
• Wednesday 19 June 2024
• Thursday 20 June 2024

The sessions will be held in person in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre. Those who made representations will again 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.

Please also refer to the Notice of Independent Examination Hearings (document reference COUD004) available under Council Documents for further details. 

The Inspector has issued the Matters, Issues and Questions (MIQ)s for the Stage 2 Local Plan Examination hearings, along with a guidance note for those who wish to participate in the hearings. These documents are available to view under Hearing Sessions and Inspector's Correspondence (document reference ID-004 and ID-005).

Wednesday 21 December 2023: Inspector issues guidance and the MIQs for the stage 1 Local Plan Examination hearings

The Inspector has issued the Matters, Issues and Questions (MIQs) for the Stage 1 Local Plan Examination hearings commencing on 27 February 2024, along with a guidance note for those who wish to participate in the hearings.

These documents are available to view under Hearing Sessions and Inspector's Correspondence (document reference ID-002 and ID-003).

Wednesday 20 December 2023: First public hearing sessions announced for Elmbridge Borough Council’s Local Plan Examination

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 at the Civic Centre. 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 10am 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 (document reference COUD003) available in the Council Documents area of Local Plan Examination webpage for further details. 

Thursday 23 November 2023: Correction made to document reference numbers of additional documents submitted in response to the Inspector's Initial Letter

The Council has made corrections to the document reference numbers assigned to five of the additional documents that were requested by the Local Plan Inspector in their Initial Letter (document reference ID-001) dated 14 September 2023 and submitted by the Council with their full response to the Inspector's initial letter (document reference COU002) on 10 November 2023.

The affected documents are listed below and are available in the Evidence base area of the Local Plan Examination webpage:

• OTH039 - GB Site Assessment Proformas - Sites not suitable for release - 2021 (referred to as OTH038 in the Council's letter dated 10 Nov. 2023).
• OTH040 - GB Site Assessment Proformas - Sites considered for release under spatial strategy option 5a - 2021 (referred to as OTH039 in the Council's letter dated 10 Nov. 2023).
• OTH041 - GB Site Assessment Proformas - Site no longer considered suitable for release - 2022 (Updated 2023) (referred to as OTH040 in the Council's letter dated 10 Nov. 2023).
• OTH042 - GB Site Assessment Explanatory Notes - 2021 (referred to as OTH041 in the Council's letter dated 10 Nov. 2023).
• OTH043 - Exceptional Circumstance Case - Green Belt - Jan 2022 (referred to as OTH042 in the Council's letter dated 10 Nov. 2023).

Friday 10 November 2023: Elmbridge Borough Council submits full response to the Inspector's initial letter

The council has submitted its full response to the Inspector's initial letter (document reference ID-001) dated 14 September 2023. The Council's response (document reference COUD002) is available to view on the Council Documents area of the Local Plan Examination webpage.

The evidence documents that accompany the Council's response are available to view on the Post-submission evidence base documents area of the Local Plan Examination webpage. These are listed with a submission date of the 10 November 2023. 

Wednesday 16 August 2023: Planning inspector appointed to examine Elmbridge’s submitted Local Plan

An independent inspector has now been appointed to examine Elmbridge’s Local Plan, following submission to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 10 August 2023.

The Secretary of State has appointed Christa Masters MA (Hons) FRTPI, to hold an independent examination of Elmbridge’s submission Local Plan. The Planning Inspector will consider the soundness of the Local Plan based on the ‘tests of soundness’ as set out in paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Thursday 10 August 2023 - Elmbridge Borough Council submits Local Plan to Secretary of State

Following its approval in July 2023, the Elmbridge Draft Local Plan has been submitted to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities, who will appoint an Inspector to carry out an independent examination. This process is dealt with by the Planning Inspectorate.

The examination will assess whether the plan has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements and if it is sound.

The Inspector will consider the evidence provided by Elmbridge Borough Council to support the plan and any representations which have been put forward by local residents and other interested parties such as developers and house builders. In most cases the examination will include hearing sessions which are held in public.

At this time, we do not know the schedule for the examination but the latest news and updates on the progress of the Local Plan examination will be posted here.