Consultation for Major Change to Local Housing Numbers
As you may know, the government is proposing policy changes that will result in considerably increased housing numbers in the South-East, and inevitably more development on the Green Belt.
The changes propose a new “mutant algorithm” that would impose a housing target of 1,443 dwellings per year for 15 years on Elmbridge. Our new Local Plan is for c.450 per year for 15 years, a local “record”, yet this new target would be 3.2 times larger. This will provide housing for an additional c.42,000 residents over the 15 years to add to the c.136,000 we have now (+31%). For the first time this algorithm does not base its results on household projections in the area, a change which is unacceptable. Worse it does not calculate housing affordability in an area from the incomes of households in that area or consider how much equity the owners have. The proposed algorithm massively distorts affordability in areas such as Elmbridge with commuting, retired and established muti-earning families.
Providing land for these houses could mean the loss of about 2,000 acres of Elmbridge Green Belt over the next 15 years. Elmbridge has previously earmarked ‘parcels’ of Green Belt in and near Cobham, including Chippings Farm and Blundell Lane, so these and more are sure to be “in the mix.” This disproportionate load would add to the 2,100 houses at Wisley New Town that alone will unreasonably burden our already inadequate infrastructure.
If Elmbridge cannot demonstrate it has land supply for 5 times this new target (it never will be able to), even given a local plan with a lower figure, then all planning applications, even those on Green Belt land, would be presumed to be acceptable unless it can be demonstrated that any harms significantly exceed any benefits.
This sizeable increase in housing target comes with no new investment in roads or infrastructure. Furthermore, while there is a local shortage of (real) affordable housing, the policy is about housing totals rather than addressing this shortage. It is also of note that despite global warming, there is no mention of, e.g., better insulation of all these houses or solar panels on their roofs.
To object you can complete a full consultation questionnaire (that has 106 questions, many of which being detailed technical ones) by following this link:
https://consult.communities.gov.uk/planning/planning-reform/
The full consultation document and method for assessing local need can be found via this link:
As an alternative, you can send an email, cross-referenced to only those questions you are answering, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
You can see my example letter via this link: Example letter to Planning Policy Consultation Team - Sept 2024, which addresses the main questions about housing, Greenbelt and infrastructure. Please use some/all of this for your objection should you wish, ideally after some “personalisation” with your own ideas and language. However, should you want also to add points about some of the other questions please do so!
The consultation closes on the 24 September 2024.
Adrian Wise
Planning Team
