UPDATE ON 3 IMPORTANT PLANNING ISSUES
+ LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION
A planning application has already been approved for a building to replace the old Post Office building on the High Street. However, a new planning application 2025/1345 has now been submitted for a larger building.
Some of the key changes are:
Height of the building
- The new, proposed development is 3 storeys high rather than 2 storeys, and has a proposed height of 12 metres.
- The current height of the Old Post Office building is 8.52 meters. The previous application was for a 2 storey development.
- The successful application for the development of Heath Buildings opposite has a height of 13.2 metres.
- The applicant asserts that the proposed building is comparable in scale to the old petrol station that used to stand in the village before it was demolished and replaced by the current petrol station. See CGI image below.
Number of flats
The new application has 3 storeys for 9 flats – 6×1-bedroom flats and 3×2-bedroom flats, above two commercial units. The prior application had two storeys with 4 flats above 2 commercial units. The old Post Office building had 2×2-bedroom flats.
Party Wall
The prior application included a party wall with the adjoining Centre for Sight building. It is now proposed that there will be no party wall and the new building will be totally separate from the Centre for Sight Building.
Car Park
In conjunction with the owners of the Victoria Pub, who are providing some land at the back of the building, 11 car park spaces will be available for residents of the flats in the Village Stores in addition to guests of the Victoria pub.
Access to the Car Park
Access to the car park at the back of the building will be wider than currently available. At the same time that access is set back further from the A244 than at present, so that access provided will be safer.
Construction mitigation
It is planned that, if the application is granted, then the contruction will be organised so that it is built from back to front in order to mitigate any disruption or inconvenience for those shopping in or walking through the village centre.
If you wish to comment on this proposed development you need to respond by 4th July 2025.
UPDATE ON THE PADDOCKS AND CLOUDS HILL FARM
The first planning application has now been submitted for development on a site close to Oxshott on what is currently characterised as Green Belt. But, before we go too far, it is just as well to reflect on a number of principles that FEDORA has recognised in response to the Government’s housing policy.
We have to acknowledge that this government is taking a strong line over new housing and Elmbridge is in a weak position as it has no agreed Local Plan.
It is clear that only cogent arguments based on the new National Planning Policy Framework, Planning Practice Guidance and the Design Code will have any weight when objections to any Planning Applications are submitted to EBC (“Elmbridge Borough Council”).
FEDORA has been looking to develop a 2-level approach – (i) strategic arguments for resisting development on Green Belt (where sustainability is key) and (ii) more detailed arguments for particular sites and as and when the planning applications are submitted.
It is also important to recognise that a large proportion of the responses received to our recent survey were focussed on the impact that any significant developments would have on roads (particularly the A244), infrastructure, access to schools and the capacity of local surgeries. These are not services provided by EBC. Rather it is Surrey County Council who are statutory consultees and who will provide statements to EBC’s Planning Department about if and how such issues will be addressed.
The Paddocks 2025/1097
The Paddocks is the only development that to date that has submitted a planning application that will impact residents of Oxshott – and FEDORA will be submitting its objection very shortly, a copy of which will appear on our website. We consider that the proposed development would fundamentally change Stoke D’Abernon given its relative scale – the impact on Oxshott may be less significant but nevertheless cannot be ignored.
SDRA (Stoke D’Abernon Residents Association) has successfully raised the profile of their campaign to “Stop the Paddocks” and, perhaps of more strategic importance, the interest that BBC Surrey have shown in the subject – which bodes well for publicising resistance to similar planning applications in the future.
If you wish to comment or object then the deadline has been extended to 7th July.
Clouds Hill Farm
In contrast, no planning application has yet been submitted to EBC for the Clouds Hill Farm site. However, local residents and we have a good idea of the likely shape of the planning application following consultations with the developer as well as the open day held recently by the developer at Oxshott Village Centre.
As soon as the initial planning application is submitted to EBC, FEDORA will ensure that our members and supporters are notified. In the meantime, we are in contact with local councillors and Surrey County Council about the assessment of the likely impact on infrastructure.
UK GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON SURREY LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANISATION
We noted in our February 2025 email how Surrey would need to respond to the proposed Local Government reorganisation (LGR). We explained the proposals in more detail in the Spring edition of FEDORA magazine, accessible here
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is now consulting on next steps. Details of the consultation which covers two different proposals can be found here.
The final date for responding to the consultation is 5 August.
Surrey has put forward to the UK Government its preferred approach, which is to create two unitary authorities. East Surrey, comprises Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge: West Surrey comprises Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley and Woking. This approach is supported by Elmbridge and Mole Valley councils. Other councils in Surrey have put forward an alternative proposal for three unitary authorities. Surrey’s view is that the three authority proposal will cost more rather than save money.
Further information is available on the Surrey website here and the consultation survey for Surrey’s proposals is available here.
The consultation questions are not straightforward to answer but our local councillors have said they would be happy to speak to residents to give further information.
The Government will make a final decision in the Autumn and the process will then proceed to the establishment of a Mayoral Combined Authority and the election of a Surrey Mayor.
Some of the implications were also discussed at the FEDORA public meeting on 22 May. This includes the proposed creation of Community Boards under the unitary authorities which we expect to invite greater input from bodies such as FEDORA. We will provide further details when available.