The Elmbridge Council Planning Committee met to discuss several planning applications, including advertisement consent for 62-66 High Street, Weybridge, and an outline application for up to 60 dwellings on land north of Raleigh Drive, Claygate. The committee resolved to grant advertisement consent for 62-66 High Street, Weybridge, and to grant planning permission for the development on land north of Raleigh Drive, Claygate, subject to the completion of a legal agreement.

Land North of Raleigh Drive, Claygate

The committee resolved to grant planning permission for an outline application for up to 60 dwellings, associated landscaping, and open space with access from Raleigh Drive, subject to the completion of a satisfactory legal agreement within three months. The legal agreement is to secure on-site affordable housing, a car club, highway improvements, and biodiversity net gain. If the legal agreement is not received within the specified timeframe, the Head of Planning and Environmental Health is authorised to refuse planning permission.

The reasons for potential refusal include the failure to secure necessary financial contributions towards affordable housing, a car club, highway improvements, and biodiversity net gain, contrary to several council policies and the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The application site, located on the northern side of Raleigh Drive and east of Claygate House, was most recently used for leisure purposes, including a bowls green, pitch and putt golf course, and a tennis court, all of which are no longer in use.

Key constraints affecting the site include:

• Flood Zones 2¹ and 3[^3]
• Surface Water Flooding (Medium and High Risk)
• An 8m Watercourse Buffer
• Green Belt designation
• A Tree Preservation Order (TPO)

The council's core strategy indicates that there is scope for residential development through the redevelopment of existing sites with well-designed schemes that integrate with and enhance the local character.

The NPPF states that when considering any planning application, local planning authorities should ensure that substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt, including harm to its openness. Inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

The NPPF 2024 introduced the concept of 'Grey Belt', defined as land in the Green Belt comprising previously developed land and/or any other land that does not strongly contribute to the purposes of Green Belt designation. The report notes that:

The site is considered by Officers to comprise Grey Belt land. Firstly, whilst the entire site is not considered to be previously developed land, it does comprise 'any other land'.

The report also notes that the land does not contribute strongly to the purposes of Green Belt designation, and that the development would not undermine the purposes of the remaining Green Belt.

The NPPF sets out 'Golden Rules' for development, including:

• Affordable housing
• Necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure
• The provision of new, or improvements to existing, green spaces that are accessible to the public

The development is required to provide 50% affordable housing, and the legal agreement will address the provision of highway improvements. The site would include publicly accessible green space.

The council does not have a five-year housing land supply, meaning that paragraph 11(d) of the NPPF is engaged, and there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

The council received 345 letters of objection, raising concerns including:

• Increase in traffic
• Loss of Green Belt
• Flood risk concerns
• Inadequate local infrastructure
• Impact upon local services
• Highway safety concerns
• Loss of biodiversity and wildlife habitat

Three letters of support were received, citing the need for affordable housing and highway safety improvements.

62-66 High Street, Weybridge

The committee resolved to grant advertisement consent for 62-66 High Street, Weybridge, due to the council's ownership of the site. The application sought consent for:

• 1 non-illuminated directional panel
• 1 non-illuminated car park directional sign
• 1 internally illuminated projection sign to rear
• 6 vinyl window graphics

The site relates to commercial premises partly occupied by a Waitrose supermarket on the ground floor, with a two-storey car park at the rear. The site is within a District Centre, adjoins the Weybridge (Monument Green) Conservation Area, and is on a classified 'A' road.

Surrey County Council Highways Authority and the council's Asset Management raised no objections. The council's Environmental Health (Noise & Pollution) raised no objection, subject to condition.

No letters of representation were received.