Policy information sourced from the Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan

Policy 2 Spatial Strategy: Managing change in the borough (Strategic Policy)

The spatial strategy for Richmond upon Thames is for the plan period 2024 to 2039. The overarching aim is to ensure that growth is delivered in a sustainable way, with supporting infrastructure, while tackling the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.

A. The Local Plan seeks to deliver the Council’s vision and meet the identified needs by directing new higher density development including homes, jobs, community uses and infrastructure to sites in the town centres or places that are that are well connected to jobs, services, infrastructure and amenities by public transport, walking and cycling. New smaller scale development will be appropriate in the local centres to support Living Locally. Beyond these areas, incremental intensification will contribute to achieving growth, having regard to the existing townscape character.

B. Development in the borough will prioritise the use of previously developed land, including the reuse and conversion of existing buildings to minimise embodied carbon with a presumption in favour of refurbishment.

C. Development in the borough will promote the provision of green infrastructure that creates resilience and helps mitigate the impacts of climate change, and protect and, where possible, enhance the environment, local character and heritage assets.

D. Proposals should have regard to the relevant place-based strategy and set out how a characterand design-led approach to change has been taken.