Last night Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s Licensing & Planning Policy Committee debated the Proposed Submission Local Plan and made their recommendation to Full Council, which will take place on 10 December.

The borough’s current Local Plan is more than five years old: not having an up-to-date Local Plan may leave the borough at increased risk of unplanned and speculative development.

In its final form, the borough’s Local Plan will determine where new development should go and where should be protected, identifying potential sites for new homes including affordable accommodation, also supporting businesses, creating jobs and securing much needed infrastructure improvements.

However, there is far more to the Local Plan than allocating sites for development: it covers a range of matters that will benefit current and future residents of the borough, such as protecting public open spaces and retail areas, ensuring environmental protection and higher standards for biodiversity, supporting more sustainable forms of travel, and increasing the standard of new homes and commercial buildings.

Since the Local Plan Regulation 18 Consultation last year, council officers have been reviewing feedback and working to compile the evidence base reports to inform the Proposed Submission Local Plan to be considered by Councillors. This follows the local plan timetable, set out in our Local Development Scheme (2023).

Councillor Peter O’Donovan, chair of the Licensing & Planning Policy Committee, said:

“As Councillors, our task is to tread carefully the path between protecting and safeguarding the unique character of our borough, including our heritage and green spaces; whilst ensuring future generations can thrive, access jobs, find affordable homes for their families, and enjoy recreation facilities, the countryside and nature. As residents of Epsom & Ewell ourselves, we are fully committed to delivering a local plan that achieves this.

The feedback from residents, organisations, partners and visitors to our borough provided during last year’s Regulation 18 consultation forms part of the evidence base used to develop the Proposed Submission Local Plan and, following that feedback, changes were made to the Proposed Submission Local Plan.

Last night the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee voted to endorse the Proposed Submission Local Plan as being sound and recommended the plan to be considered by Full Council next month.

I urge everyone who is interested in the borough’s Local Plan to watch the Full Council meeting on 10 December and sign up to be kept updated when the next public consultation on the Local Plan (Regulation 19) takes place, which will be at the earliest opportunity and no later than January 2025.”

If you would like to be kept updated on when the next consultation is taking place, please visit https://epsom-ewell.inconsult.uk/, and enter your details via the 'Register' tab.