PLANNING NEWS – The Government’s new planning rules take effect on 31st October 2026. Under the 
proposals, Planning Officers will determine applications for fewer than 10 dwellings. Objections from 15 households will no longer trigger referral to a Planning Committee; these applications will instead be decided by the relevant Planning Officer. In addition, if an application for a scheme of 150 or more dwellings is refused, it must be referred to the Secretary of State for Housing for 21 days, during which they may determine the application. With Elmbridge set to be replaced by devolved unitary authorities and Weybridge becoming part of East Surrey, the town will be represented by only two councillors. Combined with the new rules, this will significantly reduce local communities’ influence when objecting to schemes they consider inappropriate.
MAJOR SCHEMES THAT HAVE NOT COMMENCED
Ru.24/1257 Industrial Units – Weybridge Business Park (Addlestone)
2026/1661 Abbey House, Wellington Way (Brooklands) – An application to reduce the building from 7 storeys (granted under 2022/1272) to 6 storeys with wings added to accommodate those flats formerly proposed to be within the 7th storey.
2026/1757 JTI Building, Members Hill (Brooklands) – This application seeking clarification that lawful implementation of the original proposal 2023/3294 was recently granted consent
2026/1868, 2026/1869, 2026/1842 And 2026/1835, St George’s Business Park, Brooklands – 
Each of these ‘Change of Use’ applications from Commercial to Residential use to create a total of 109 – one, two and three-bedroom apartments in buildings A, B, D and E were refused consent on 29/9/26 due to the lack of daylight/sunlight provision in all rooms. As LEOS was not the applicant, we assume the buildings have been sold.
2025/3139 Building C, Brooklands Road – This Prior Approval Change of Use application from Commercial to Residential to create 26 flats was recently refused due to insufficient daylight to the proposed dwellings.
NEW APPLICATIONS
2026/2284 Marlborough House, 68 High Street (above Waitrose) – this application seeks Prior Approval for a Change of Use from Commercial to Residential for a total of 31 one-bedroom units on the 1st and 2nd floors above the shops, including Waitrose. The proposed development will be ‘car free’ with secure cycle storage provided within the building. We understand the building is owned by Elmbridge Council and is in the process of being sold.
2026/1954 Land West Of 1 Oatlands Close – An application proposing variations to the approved scheme, 2025/1297, including the addition of two front dormer windows and revisions to the building materials. The Society objected to all previous applications due to concerns that Design Code guidelines were not followed. Replacing the rendered finish and slate roof with brick elevations and a tiled roof should address some of our concerns. A further application, 2026/2089, seeks permission to remove a tree to accommodate the proposed new house.
2026/2109 Warehouse, Thames Street – A variation of condition application to replace the scissor lift to the basement with a ramped vehicular access. The original application (2025/1040) was refused by Elmbridge but allowed by the Appeals Inspector.
2026/0844 Selbourne, Egerton Road – An application to demolish Selbourne, the existing property on Egerton Road, and together with a portion of garden land from the Lodge, the adjoining property, build 6 semi-detached 3-bedroom and a single detached 3-bedroom property on the land. The Society submitted a letter of objection in support of residents of Holme Chase who would be adversely affected. 42 objections have been submitted due to density as well as concerns about the viability of some of the parking spaces and means of access for refuse and emergency vehicles.
2026/1159 29-31 High Street – (formerly the Home Library retail outlet). Elmbridge recently refused this change-of-use application, which sought to change the premises from Class E use (commercial, business, shops, offices, cafés, etc.) to a use permitting a hot food takeaway. The Society objected solely to the hot food takeaway element for the following reasons:
- the proposed opening hours of 6am to 11.30pm would be harmful to the residents who live in the flats above and adjacent to these premises.
- the amount of litter emanating from a hot food takeaway
- the impact of delivery vehicles parking on the pavement (alongside the bus stop)
- customers parking illegally to collect their takeaway order
- the probable increase in anti-social behaviour
It was widely speculated that this application had been submitted on behalf of McDonalds.
2026/1884 29 – 31 Queens Road (former Nolte Showroom) – This ‘Change of Use’ application is similar to the one above, proposing a change from Class ‘E’ to use for a pizza takeaway. We recently submitted an objection raising similar concerns to those raised in our objection to 2026/1159. A further application, 2026/2060, seeks to subdivide the single unit into two units.
2026/1998 – 56-58 Waverley Road – This is a ‘Variation of Condition’ application to the original 2025/1321 application and seeks to add rear dormer windows as well as rooms in the roof space. The developer has knowingly constructed the dormer windows and rooms in the roof space without consent. We notified the Elmbridge Compliance Officer of this some months ago and expected that the developer would be required to revert to the consented application. We have objected to this current application and strongly believe that the developer should dismantle these illegally built rooms in the roof.
2026/2112 United Reform Church, Queens Road – This Listed Building application involves only the fencing and pedestrian and vehicle access gates. The United Reform Church (a Grade II Listed Building) is now owned by the St John’s Mar Thoma Church. All services have recently been moved from its previous location in Hounslow to its new location in Queens Road. The Society anticipates that further applications including redevelopment of the Church Hall will be submitted in due course.
DECIDED APPLICATIONS
2026/0637 Weybridge Bowling Club, Springfield Lane – permission was granted for this application for three terraces of nine three-bedroom homes with the proposed access via Henbury Place in Springfield Lane. However, we understand that discussion between the applicant and the Henbury Place residents concerning the proposed access is ongoing.
2025/2670 Cartref, Ellesmere Road – This application for a total of 15 large 2-storey family homes with ‘rooms in the roof’ was debated by the Planning Committee at the July meeting and was granted consent. The Society submitted two letters of objection. 43 residents also objected, many agreeing with the Society that 15 new dwellings amounted to significant overdevelopment of the site.
2026/1777 High Trees, Bridgwater Road – A further application to replace the single-storey bungalow with a substantial four-bedroom house was granted consent in September. Previous applications were refused by Elmbridge, most recently 2026/0260, because of the impact on neighbouring properties in Bladen Close, directly behind the site.
2026/0396 Garden Land To Rear Of 39 Oatlands Chase – The Society submitted a letter of objection but the application to construct a terrace of three two-storey dwellings with ‘rooms in the roof’ in the rear garden of the host property was granted consent in June.
2026/1463 2 High Street, Weybridge (Formerly Elmbridge Arms Public House) – Following refusal of application 2025/2420 (a major project proposing changes to the existing building and a mews-style development at the rear). This new ‘Change of Use’ application has recently gained consent to demolish the single storey rear extensions and create a single unit café on the ground floor. According to the applicant, a tenant has already been secured.
APPLICATIONS TAKEN TO APPEAL
2026/1092 and 2026/1167 Warehouse, Thames Street – Anyone familiar with this incongruous development will be aware that this building has blighted the neighbourhood for many years. There have been numerous appeals, some of which have been allowed. However, in most cases, the Appeals Inspector has agreed with Elmbridge and dismissed the appeals.
2025/1572 8–14 Oatlands Drive – As anticipated, the Appeals Inspector has allowed the introduction of 2nd floor private amenity terraces to Blocks B, C and D.
2026/0184 and 2026/0195 Pavement Outside 62 High Street – This application to site a BT Hub in front of Waitrose and close to the bus stop was refused by Elmbridge but the applicant appealed the decision. In the event, the Appeals Inspector dismissed the appeal citing harm to the local character and failure to observe the significance of the listed building (The Ship Hotel).
COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION – Further applications to convert commercial offices located above and to the rear of shops into residential accommodation continue to be submitted as listed below.
2025/3257 Land to Rear of 32-34 Baker Street – This application to demolish the 2-storey office block to the rear of 32-34 Baker Street and construct a three-storey development of 5 flats was refused in July but the applicant has submitted an appeal. See below details of a subsequent application.
2026/2003 Land to Rear of 32-34 Baker Street – In this instance the applicant proposes a similar 3-storey building but the number of flats has been reduced from 5
to 4.
2025/2049 – Marine House 18 – 20 Baker Street (above El Meson de Los Hermanos) Unfortunately, although refused by Elmbridge, the Appeals Inspector recently allowed the appeal to add a ‘boxy’ additional storey 3 metres high to this building. The Society objected to all previous applications as we firmly believe that a) Design Code guidelines in respect of roofscapes was disregarded by the Planning Officer and b) that the addition of this ugly addition will not be in keeping with the surrounding properties in Baker Street.
2026/0654 – Marine House, 18 – 20 Baker Street – Prior Approval for this subsequent application which reduces the number of flats from four to three flats was refused by Elmbridge in May 2026. However, given that the appeal was granted for 4 flats (2025/2049), that decision is meaningless.
2026/0553 Nicholson House, 41 Thames Street – Elmbridge has received a raft of applications for this site all of which have been refused. However, Elmbridge recently granted this ‘Prior Approval Change of Use from Commercial to Residential’ application for 21 ‘studio’ flats with 22 car parking spaces. The Society submitted an objection letter in support of the many residents who would be adversely affected by such a major change. 
Previous applications (2025/1479, 2025/2206, 2025/2983) were refused on lack of daylight/sunlight grounds as well as the required access being over third-party land not in the ownership of the applicant.
2026/0486 Nicholson House, 41 Thames Street – A ‘removal of condition’ application concerning a building formerly used as a print room was recently refused consent by the Planning Committee The two-storey building is located in the corner of the site where it abuts the boundary of three residential properties. The ‘Condition’ was imposed when application 2013/1358 was granted consent to protect the amenity of nearby residents. As anticipated, the applicant has lodged an appeal.
2025/2865 Nicholson House, Thames Street – Following refusal to construct a single storey building for cycle and refuse storage, the applicant appealed the decision which was dismissed by the Appeals Inspector.
2026/2130 Nicholson House, Thames Street – A further application proposes a second floor/roof-level extension containing three flats, in addition to the 21 approved under application 2026/0553. If approved, the development would comprise 22 one-bedroom flats and 2 two-bedroom flats, all only just meeting minimum space standards. Nearby residents are concerned about the scale of the proposals, particularly the ‘homes of multiple occupation (HMO)’ aspect.
2026/2284 Marlborough House, 68 High Street (above Waitrose) – this application seeks Prior Approval for a Change of Use from Commercial to Residential for a total of 31 one-bedroom units on the 1st and 2nd floors above Waitrose. The proposed development will be ‘car free’ with secure cycle storage provided within the building.
DEVELOPMENTS FURTHER AFIELD – There are several significant proposals for Hersham and Walton including:
2026/0447 Land South of 131 – 147 Burwood Road – an application for 62 dwellings (on green belt land).
2026/1902 Burhill Kennels, Turners Lane – An outline application for 82 dwellings.
2025/2530 Hersham Technology Park (was Air Products) permission to construct a total of 262 dwellings (153 flats and 109 houses) has recently been granted.
2026/0036 Car Park, Mayfield Road – The application to build a three-storey block of 23 flats on the car park serving Walton Station was deferred by the Planning Committee because the viability review on affordable housing had not been published on the EBC website. Following publication, the Committee considered the proposal at its October meeting and granted consent.
2026/1603 Sainsbury’s Car Park, New Zealand Avenue This application proposes converting part of levels 2 and 3 of the car park into an indoor electric go-kart track. While some letters support the proposal, many objections have also been submitted.
CONSERVATION AREAS – Weybridge Society also supports the Weybridge Conservation Area Advisory Committee (CAAC) and in that role responds to consultation requests received from Elmbridge Planning Department in relation to developments in or affecting the Weybridge Conservation Areas. As an example, we have recently advised Elmbridge that the extensions to the Weybridge Hall building have been built using bricks which differ from the existing brickwork.
LONDON GREEN BELT COUNCIL – As a member of this Council, the Society participates in their regular meetings. The Council is deeply concerned by the current trend to demote swathes of agricultural GREEN BELT land into GREY BELT which is then granted consent for major housing developments.