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On the 25 February 2026 Runnymede Borough Council adopted a new Local Plan timetable This document sets out the stages of creating a new Local Plan as well as the dates that these are to take place. This document is kept under review and will be updated on a monthly basis.
The Council has recently published the 2025/25 Annual Monitoring Report. Please check Monitoring progress of Local Plan policies for further information.
The most recent updates to the Local Plan evidence base can be found in the table below:
27 April 2026
| Evidence base document | Status |
|---|---|
| Annual Monitoring Report 2024/25 | The Annual Monitoring Report for the year 2024/25 has now been published. Runnymede 2030 Local Plan Authority Monitoring Report |
|
Strategic partners for cross boundary cooperation document |
Consultation has taken place on the Strategic Cross Boundary Partners Scoping Statement. The responses received to this consultation have been reviewed, and the Statement will be amended, where necessary, to take into account these responses. The Statement will be published on the Council’s website in the near future. |
| The Runnymede Open Spaces Study update |
Completed. Published June 2025 Review the 2030 Local Plan Review Evidence Documents |
| The Runnymede Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Facilities Strategy | This has now been published and can be found on the Councils website by using this link |
| The Green Belt Review parts 1 and 2 and Grey Belt Assessment |
The Green Belt Review parts 1 and 2 and Grey Belt Assessment Government funding secured for a joint Green Belt/Grey Belt Assessment with Spelthorne & Elmbridge Borough Councils. Assessment has commenced and will report back as follows: Green Belt Review Scoping Report - Will set out the scope of what needs to change in our two existing Green Belt Reviews (GBR). This scoping report has been produced in draft form and is currently being reviewed by the commissioning councils. Stage 1 Green Belt Review - Will set out a methodology for the review and appraise larger areas of Green Belt against Green Belt purposes and cover all Green Belt across the three Boroughs. Methodology is currently being prepared and Stage 1 review due to report in Summer 2026. Stage 2 Green Belt Review - Will appraise smaller sub-areas of Green Belt against Green Belt purposes and identify potential Grey Belt. Stage 2 is expected to report late Autumn 2026. |
| 2025 Strategic Land Availability Assessment |
Work commenced and ongoing. An interim version will be available Spring 2026, to include an Urban Area Capacity Study. A second version will be produced taking account of Green Belt Review and Grey Belt Assessment outcomes in due course (see timescales above for the Green Belt review work). An updated 5 year housing land supply position has recently been published and can be viewed at: 2030 Local Plan Review Evidence Base documents This shows that the Council currently has a 2.89 years of supply as of April 2025. |
| Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment update | Ongoing. Final report expected in by summer 2026. |
| Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment (incorporating Employment Land Review) |
This has now been published and can be found on the Councils website. |
| Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment refresh | A draft of the document is now complete and will be put onto the website in the near future. |
| Runnymede Design Code | An authority-wide Design Code will not be developed. The Council will reassess the design tools it needs once evidence underpinning the new Local Plan helps the Council understand the revised spatial strategy. |
| Local Plan Engagement Strategy |
Local Plan Engagement Strategy consultation has concluded. The results of this consultation are currently being analysed. A report will be taken to Planning Committee in June 2026 outlining any proposed changes to the strategy. |
| Runnymede Retail and Town Centres Study update |
Addendum completed. Published July 2025. Review the 20230 Local Plan Review Evidence Documents |
| Update to the Council’s Stage 2 Sustainable Places work | Planned. Work will not commence until the Council has completed its site list for testing. This will not happen until the Grey Belt Review/Assessment is complete. Publication date is to be confirmed. |
| Boat Dwellers Assessment Planned. | Project on pause. |
| Infrastructure baseline assessment refresh | As part of gathering baseline information to inform the new Local Plan, the Council intends to create a ‘Runnymede Place Portrait’, which will include baseline information about the Borough’s infrastructure capacity. The Council will also refresh the infrastructure baseline assessment as part of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan update. Once publication dates for both are clearer, further information will be published on this page. |
| Sustainability Appraisal [SA] incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment | Underway. A SA scoping update report is being prepared with the date of publication TBC. Further iterations of the SA including the appraisal of policy options and policy wording will take place as the Local Plan progresses. |
The Council’s adopted Local Development Scheme for the update of the Runnymede Local Plan can be viewed at: Local Development Scheme (LDS)
The Council has recently updated its housing land supply position. Based on a base date of 1 April 2025, the Council has concluded that it has a 2.89 year land supply. More information can be viewed at: 2030 Local Plan Review Evidence Base documents.
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Review of the Runnymede 2030 Local Plan
In line with Regulation 10A of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations (2012), on 23r October 2024, the Council completed its formal review of the Runnymede 2030 Local Plan within 5 years of the Plan’s adoption date of 16 July 2020.
The committee report which sets out the process followed in reviewing the Local Plan and the conclusions drawn can be viewed within the committee agenda for the 23 October 2024 Planning Committee (agenda item 6) at the link below:
Evidence base documents
The Review of the Runnymede 2030 Local Plan will be underpinned by a range of evidence base documents. These key supporting documents will be made available on our evidenced base documents page once they are finalised.
Local Plan draft Engagement Strategy
Between 20 October 2025 and 1 December 2025, the Council is consulting on its draft Engagement Strategy which will underpin the next local plan. For more information on this consultation, including the draft Strategy itself and information on how to make a representation, please check Runnymede Local Plan Engagement Strategy page.
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