Local plan

The latest news and updates regarding the Local Plan can be read by visiting: spelthornelocalplan.info/submission-of-local-plan/news-and-updates/

The Council is currently working on an emerging Local Plan which contains the overall vision and framework for future development in the area, addressing needs and opportunities in relation to housing, the economy, community facilities and infrastructure - as well as providing a basis for conserving and enhancing the natural and historic environment, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and achieving well designed places. The emerging Local Plan will set out how the local area will develop over at least the next 15 years and once adopted, will replace the 2009 Development Plan.

Public hearing dates for Spelthorne Borough Council's Local Plan Examination 2025

The Examination resumed after a pause in 2023, during which critical adjustments were made to ensure the Plan meets housing, environmental, and infrastructure needs while aligning with national planning guidance. The resumed hearings focus on addressing unresolved issues, such as housing allocations, green belt use, and flood risk management.

The Local Plan Examination in Public Hearing sessions in 2025 will be held on:

Tuesday 28 January to Thursday 30 January 2025
Wednesday 12 February to Thursday 13 February 2025
Tuesday 18 February 2025
Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 February 2025 as reserve dates when hearing sessions may be held

Public hearing dates for Spelthorne Borough Council's Local Plan Examination 2023

The independent Inspector appointed to examine the Spelthorne Local Plan is Jameson Bridgwater PGDipTP MRTPI. 

The first three dates for the hearings were held on Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 May 2023.  A further six dates were planned for June but following the Extraordinary Council Meeting on 6 June 2023 where a motion was agreed to pause the remainder of the Local Plan examination hearings, the Chief Executive wrote to the Planning Inspector to put forward this request on behalf of the Council. The Chief Executive's letter and the response from the Inspector can be found on the dedicated Local Plan website: News and Updates - Spelthorne Takes Shape (spelthornelocalplan.info)

Spelthorne Borough Council held an Extraordinary Council Meeting on 14 September to consider a report which outlined three options on the future of the Local Plan.  At the start of the meeting, a letter was read out from Rachel Maclean MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning. The letter, addressed to Cllr Joanne Sexton, Leader of the Council, from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, outlined its concerns that the Council "may withdraw the emerging local plan ('the plan') from examination."  This has resulted in national government intervening in the Local Plan process under section 27 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.  Following this, Councillors voted to

"Extend the pause in the Examination timetable until the proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework have been published (expected in the autumn) before determining the next steps and take immediate legal advice to confirm the validity of the minister's directive" 

The letter from Rachel Maclean MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning and further correspondence can be found on the dedicated Local Plan website: News and Updates - Spelthorne Takes Shape (spelthornelocalplan.info)

Having an out of date Local Plan and without a five-year supply of housing has counted against Spelthorne at appeal on developments the Council has refused. There are other significant benefits the Local Plan will deliver, including family homes with gardens, affordable housing, local infrastructure, sports and recreation enhancements, a new sixth form college and a new community centre for Ashford. Importantly, it will greatly strengthen our defence against predatory development on crucial Green Belt sites as well as offering much greater protection for many of our smaller urban open spaces. Once the Plan is in place, the Strategic Planning team can then focus on other essential projects such as design codes, further transport work in Staines and enhancing our local green areas and infrastructure.

Local Plan submitted to Secretary of State

On Friday 25 November, Spelthorne Council submitted its draft Local Plan to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities for independent inspection. The Plan will guide future development in the Borough over the next 15 years, including affordable homes for residents, local infrastructure, a new sixth form college and offer greater protection for our urban open spaces. The Plan positively tackles the impact of climate change in our borough and ensures important biodiversity is protected.

It has taken more than five years to reach this key milestone. During that time, three public consultations totalling 32 weeks were undertaken on the Local Plan, together with further public consultations on the Staines Development Framework.

Submitting the Plan for examination is a crucial step forward and an independent planning inspector will now be appointed by the Planning Inspectorate to consider whether it is 'sound' and can be adopted. This means the strategy and policies will be scrutinised in detail to make sure they are justified and effective and comply with statutory requirements. The land allocated as development sites will also be considered by the inspector.

There will be a series of public hearings held in 2023 where the inspector will listen to all the arguments for and against various aspects of the Plan. The inspector will then advise Spelthorne if the Plan is sound, likely with some changes that will require further public consultation, before the Plan is brought back for a decision by councillors on whether the Council should adopt it. If so, the Local Plan can then be used when deciding planning applications.

There is a new website dedicated to the examination process where residents can view the Local Plan and the supporting evidence and documents required for submission https://spelthornelocalplan.info . 

The hearings will be open to the public.

Pre-submission Spelthorne Local Plan 2022 - 2037 (Regulation 19) and Staines Development Framework consultation closed

Consultation on the Pre-submission Spelthorne Local Plan 2022 - 2037 (Regulation 19) and on the Staines Development Framework are now closed.

Consultation on the Pre-submission Spelthorne Local Plan 2022 - 2037 (Regulation 19) ran from 15 June  to 21 September 2022.  It was extended to allow for additional time for members of the public to consider evidence base documents published since the start of the consultation.

Consultation on the Staines Development Framework ran from 15 June to 5 September 2022.

At an Extraordinary Council Meeting on 19 May, Councillors voted to progress the Local Plan and Staines Development Framework to the next consultation phase so residents, businesses, employees, and visitors to the Borough can give their views. Full Council approved the Pre-Submission Spelthorne Local Plan 2022 - 2037 (the Pre-submission Plan) for publication for representations to be submitted on its 'soundness' before submitting it to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for Independent Examination.

The Pre-submission Plan, together with the Staines Development Framework is the document that will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination in the autumn. It is the version that the Council seeks to adopt, subject to that examination, as the future framework for decision-making on planning.

The Plan will replace the 2009 Development Plan and will provide the main basis upon which future planning applications will be determined.

Latest evidence

The Local Plan evidence base documents published or updated since the 15 June 2022 are set out in the following table:

For reference - documents which were published for representations - Regulation 19

The Council is publishing the following documents for representations to be made:

• View the

  Pre-submission Spelthorne Local Plan 2022 - 2037 (pdf, 9.13 MB)

• View the

  Pre-submission Policies Map (pdf, 12.99 MB)

• View the Evidence Base and Supporting Documents

For reference - documents which were published for representations - Staines Development Framework

The Council published the following documents for representations to be made:

• View the 

  Draft Staines Development Framework (pdf, 6.58 MB)

   

Summary document

View a brief summary of the 

. Please note that this is not a formal document and is not subject to representations.

How to view the documents

The Statement of Representations Procedure document explains how and where the documents were available during the consultation period.

View the Statement of Representations Procedure

If you require your own copy of the Local Plan, Map or Staines Development Framework documents then these can be purchased at a cost as priced below. 

Representations are no longer being accepted

The consultation is closed and representations are no longer being accepted.  For reference, the ways in which people could submit a representation is explained in the Statement of Representations Procedure. A guidance note was prepared to give further information on how to make a representation:

Guidance on Making a Representation

The consultation is now closed but the Council's preferred method is for representations for any consultation is for them to be submitted by using Spelthorne Borough Council's online portal

current consultations

Representations submitted by email or by post were accepted. For reference we have left the Representations Form online which can be downloaded below.

View and download the

View and download the

Respondents were requested to read the Statement of Representations Procedure and Guidance Notes (above) on Submitting a Representation for further detailed guidance on how to submit their representations to the Council and what they should consider when preparing their representations.

Data Protection and Privacy

To ensure an effective and fair examination, it is important that the Inspector and all other participants in the examination process are able to know who has made representations on the plan. The Council will therefore ensure that the names of persons or organisations making representations can be made available (including publication on the Council's website and or consultation portal) and taken into account by the Inspector.

We are unable to accept anonymous representations. All duly made representations, together with the names of respondents, will be made available on the Council's website. Personal information such as telephone numbers, addresses, and email addresses will not be published. By submitting a representation, you are confirming that you understand that your response will be published in full, together with your name, including on our website.

The information you provide (including address, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.) will also be shared with the Programme Officer and the Planning Inspector/s, to be used only for the purposes of conducting the examination.

View the 

Contacting the Strategic Planning Team at Spelthorne Borough Council

If you require any further information or assistance, please contact the Strategic Planning Team using the details below:

• email: localplan@spelthorne.gov.uk

What is the timetable?

The timetable for the Local Plan is set out in the latest Local Development Scheme (LDS). The LDS was updated in May 2021

The Local Development Scheme will tell you when the next stages in the preparation of the Local Plan will take place.

If you would like to be notified when consultation on the Local Plan next takes place, you can register on the council's online consultation portal or contact the forward planning team at: localplan@spelthorne.gov.uk

View the Local Development Scheme

Get involved

Spelthorne Borough Council consults the public and other stakeholders during the preparation of the Local Plan. How the council will do this is set out in a Statement of Community Involvement:

View Statement of Community Involvement

Previous Stages

Information on previous consultations undertaken in the preparation of the Pre-submission Plan can be found here:

Issues and Option Consultation 2018

Preferred Options Consultation 2019

Duty to Cooperate

The Council has a legal duty to co-operate with a number of statutory bodies and agencies when preparing a Local Plan.