The Elmbridge Council's Individual Cabinet Member Decision Making - Planning meeting on 10 June 2024 focused on the approval of the Housing Delivery Test Action Plan 2024. The plan was approved for publication following a two-week call-in period.

Housing Delivery Test Action Plan 2024

The meeting centred on the Housing Delivery Test Action Plan 2024, which was prepared in response to the government's 2022 housing delivery test measurement. This measurement, published in December 2023, showed that Elmbridge had delivered 90% of its housing requirement over the preceding three years, falling short of the 95% target. Consequently, the council was required to produce an action plan within six months.

The action plan identifies several reasons for the underdelivery of housing in Elmbridge, including limited land supply, the overdelivery of large four-bedroom plus detached dwellings, low-density development, site-specific issues, and high land values. To address these issues, the plan outlines various measures, such as:

• Engaging with developers, agents, and site promoters to understand barriers to housing delivery and market conditions.
• Collaborating with registered providers and housing companies to deliver more affordable homes.
• Continuing to use planning performance agreements.
• Adopting an up-to-date local plan for the borough.
• Progressing the property and placemaking delivery strategy.
• Developing and implementing a new housing and homelessness strategy.

The plan underscores the council's commitment to proactively boosting housing delivery in the borough. Councillor James, the portfolio holder for planning, agreed to the recommendation to publish the action plan on the council's website following a two-week call-in period.