Residents, local interest groups, businesspeople and other stakeholders are being asked to help shape the future of Runnymede, by taking part in a consultation on a new Local Plan for the borough.
Residents, local interest groups, businesspeople and other stakeholders are being asked to help shape the future of Runnymede, by taking part in a consultation on a new Local Plan for the borough. The consultation opens today (7 September) for a period of five weeks.
A Local Plan guides decisions on future development proposals and addresses the needs and opportunities of an area, ensuring a sustainable pattern of growth and the delivery of high-quality buildings and places.
Topics that Local Plans usually cover include housing, employment and infrastructure and they also identify where development should take place and areas where development should be restricted. The process also establishes whether there is a need for any changes to Green Belt boundaries to accommodate growth, having regard to their intended permanence in the long term, so they can endure beyond the plan period.
Local Plans are at the heart of the planning system and are one of the main considerations in deciding planning applications. They set the framework in which decisions on proposals are taken locally.
The existing Runnymede Local Plan was adopted in July 2020, and covers the period to 2030. The Government requires local authorities to review and keep their Local Plans up to date, hence the need for a new one which is expected to come into effect from April 2029.
The other five Districts and Boroughs that will come together to form West Surrey Council are taking a similar approach, and are starting to develop Local Plans too. These will help shape the future of West Surrey as a whole.
Cllr Sylvia Whyte, Chair of the Runnymede Borough Council Planning Committee said:
Today marks an important milestone as it signals the start of our journey to prepare a new vision Local Plan. Getting an up-to-date plan in place for the borough will help make sure that future growth is properly managed, planned for and supported by the infrastructure and services our communities need.
There will be difficult decisions to make along the way about where new homes and other types of development are accommodated, and we can only make these decisions with the input from local communities and other stakeholders.
I urge residents, businesses and other interested parties to contribute their views during this consultation and to sign up to the Council’s planning policy consultation portal so that they do not miss out on the opportunity to get involved at later stages of the process.
Council officers will be available to talk to local people throughout the consultation, including at a number of roadshows events that are being held in different locations across the borough. Details of these events can be viewed on the Scoping consultation portal.
I would encourage interested parties to attend one of these events or contact the Planning policy team should they have any questions at 01932 838383 or at planningpolicy@runnymede.gov.uk
You can sign up to the Council’s planning policy consultation portal and access the scoping consultation
This form helps us improve the content and structure of our webpages only, and we cannot provide a response to any submission below.