Policy information sourced from the Elmbridge Core Strategy

CS2- Housing provision, location and distribution

The Council will plan for approximately 3,375 net additional dwellings (225 net dwellings annual average) within the Borough between 2011 and 2026. In order to facilitate the proper planning of infrastructure and services, and in compliance with the Borough’s spatial strategy set out in policy CS1, forecast delivery within each individual settlement area is set out within the investment and development schedules included as appendix 2. In order that the Core Strategy is flexible and responsive to changing circumstances, the Council will plan, monitor and manage delivery on an annual basis, adjusting infrastructure and service requirements as necessary (see CS28-Implementation and Delivery, and CS29-Monitoring).

The Council will encourage appropriate housing development on previously developed land within the urban area, and through the use of existing building stock by:

  • Promoting the development of existing allocations, and new sites for housing through future DPDs that address Development Management and Site Allocations.
  • Supporting the change of use of existing buildings to housing, through sub division or conversion, on all sites suitable for that purpose, taking into account other policy objectives.
  • Ensuring the inclusion of housing in mixed-use schemes, where housing can be accommodated in an acceptable manner without compromising other planning objectives.
  • Supporting the redevelopment for housing on employment land through mixed-use developments that retain employment use, or where the retention of the land in employment use is not considered necessary to accommodate anticipated future growth (see CS23-Employment land provision).
  • Promoting the redevelopment of existing areas of poor quality housing.
  • Ensuring effective use of urban land for housing by delivering high-density housing developments in the most sustainable locations.
  • Resisting any developments that involve a net loss of housing, unless it can be demonstrated that the benefits of the development outweigh the harm.

In recognition of the potential sensitivity of development on garden land, any housing proposed on such land will continue to be considered in the context of saved Local Plan policies HSG16 and HSG18 until such time as these are replaced through the future DPDs that address Development Management and Site Allocations.

For more information please see the Elmbridge Core Strategy