Council set to start again on 8,000-homes plan

Elmbridge borough was previously labelled one of the "least affordable in the country"

A Surrey council will go back to the drawing board on its plan for 8,000 new homes, at a potential cost of £1m.

Elmbridge Borough Council was told by a planning inspector in September to rethink its local plan, including a request to provide more affordable housing.

The council asked for a 12-month extension to finalise its draft local plan, appealing also to government ministers.

It has now been told no extension will be given, so the council will either withdraw its draft local plan or the inspector will issue a report finding it "unsound", or unviable.

A joint statement issued by three senior councillors said: "It is clear to us that building new homes is not this government’s priority.

"Instead, it seems intent on forcing Elmbridge Borough Council and our residents to restart the lengthy 3-4 year process of developing a new local plan, with the significant additional costs (potentially £1m) this will bring to the council."

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) spokesperson said the decision was up to an independent inspector.

They said: “We are in a housing crisis and all areas of the country need to play their part in building more and delivering the homes that communities need.

“We want to see every council have a local plan as soon as possible, but it is for an independent Inspector to examine a local plan to ensure it is sound and legally compliant.”

Elmbridge borough, which includes the towns of Esher, Cobham and Walton, was previously labelled one of the "least affordable in the country" by the planning inspector.

Mike Rollings, the council's leader, Simon Waugh, the deputy leader, and Janet Turner, leader of the Hinchley Wood Residents' Association, said the council was prepared to "take on board" the inspector’s decisions on building on green belt land to deliver the local plan.

They said councillors would look at the options early in 2025, either withdrawing the plan or waiting for the inspector to issue a final report.

"In both scenarios, work will need to start on a new draft local plan for Elmbridge," the councillors said.

On Wednesday, Conservative councillor John Cope, along with the MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, Ben Spencer, wrote a letter to the planning minister to call for a meeting about the local plan and for an urgent review of the situation.