SPRING PLANNING BULLETIN – APRIL 2026
We continue to liaise with Elmbridge’s planners and local Councillors on planning related matters as we strive to maintain and enhance the character of our town.
THE ELMBRIDGE DESIGN CODE and LOCAL PLAN – In the absence of a current Local Plan, we rely on the principles laid out in the Design Code to protect the character of Weybridge. However, the Society is disappointed that when determining some recent applications, Elmbridge planning officers have not followed the Design Code guidelines – see comments in respect of 2025/1297 Land West of Oatlands Close and various applications related to Marine House, 18 – 20 Baker Street. Following devolution, when Elmbridge will become part of East Surrey, we are concerned that the reduction in the number of Councillors representing our views will result in the promised intent to ‘involve the Community in decision making’ becoming virtually meaningless.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
RU.24/1257 INDUSTRIAL UNITS – WEYBRIDGE BUSINESS PARK – A disappointing outcome as the Planning Inspector allowed the Appeal which means that the Business Park, comprising 11 industrial units, will be able to operate 24 hours per day 7 days a week. However, there is little sign of activity on site and as far as we are aware, future tenants have not been secured.
DEVELOPMENTS AROUND BROOKLANDS
2022/1272 ABBEY HOUSE, WELLINGTON WAY – and 2023/3294 JTI BUILDING, MEMBERS HILL There continues to be little evidence of work commencing on either of these sites although there have been subsequent ‘Confirmation of Compliance’ applications on both sites.
LEOS – BROOKLANDS ROAD – 2026/0480 and 2026/0479 – Following the recent refusal of these applications for ‘Retrospective Parking of Amazon Vans’ nearby residents will hope that Elmbridge acts to enforce this decision following their failure to uphold the earlier refusals. It remains to be seen whether LEOS will implement the ‘Commercial to Residential’ schemes for which they have consent or will submit a further scheme for a major housing development.
OTHER APPLICATIONS OF INTEREST
2024/2819 HEATHDENE, 21 HEATH ROAD – Further to Elmbridge’s decision to refuse this application to replace the existing 8 flats with 34 flats, the applicant lodged an Appeal which was recently dismissed by the Appeals Inspector who considered that the development was too dense and would appear cramped and incongruous in the verdant character of the surrounding dwellings.
2024/3065 WEYBRIDGE HEALTH CENTRE, 22 CHURCH STREET – You will have read in various Weybridge Society Bulletins that construction is progressing on site. The Society is working with the NHS, SCC and Elmbridge on improving aspects of the main Church Street entrance.
2025/3171 WEYBRIDGE HALL, CHURCH STREET – Equippers Church submitted a ‘Variation of Condition’ application which sought to relax the hours when music could be played (currently not permitted 11pm – 9am daily). The Church was seeking a relaxation to enable music to be played from 8am on Sundays. However, this was refused by Elmbridge due to the impact on neighbours.
2025/0896 – WEYBRIDGE BOWLING CLUB, 19 SPRINGFIELD LANE – In January 2026 the Appeals Inspector dismissed the appeal for a detached 3 storey 44 bedroom care home.
2026/0637 WEYBRIDGE BOWLING CLUB, SPRINGFIELD LANE – this latest application for terraces of nine three-bedroom homes follows a similar scheme which was refused by Elmbridge (2025/1214) and dismissed on appeal due principally to problems associated with access to the site. To overcome this problem, the latest scheme proposes access through the existing Henbury Place development in Springfield Lane.
2025/1297 LAND WEST OF 1 OATLANDS CLOSE – A further application to construct a detached house in the garden of 1, Oatlands Close. The five previous applications were all refused with one being dismissed on appeal. In this instance. the Society’s view is that the guidelines set out in the Elmbridge Design Code were not followed with Elmbridge Planning Officers using ‘tilted balance’ as a reason to permit the development. ‘Tilted Balance’ is the term commonly applied where there is ‘a presumption in favour of sustainable development’. Fundamental requirements of the Design Code are that established building lines must be respected and new dwellings must also respect the character of the area. In this instance, neither of these requirements were met. We submitted an objection letter and attended the Planning Meeting. The Society accepts that new homes are needed but are concerned that this ‘tilted balance’ decision could set a precedent.
2025/2267 16-18 OATLANDS DRIVE – this application for three detached blocks to provide 24 flats following demolition of two substantial homes was granted consent despite 31 objections from local residents including from occupants of the recent development at 8 – 14 Oatlands Drive due to having to share their access with residents of the proposed new block at the rear. We submitted an objection letter and attended the planning meeting. We are dismayed that the scheme will go ahead without the requisite 40% of affordable homes – Elmbridge accepting the applicant’s claim that the scheme would not generate sufficient profit to provide any affordable homes at all.
2025/1572 8 – 14 OATLANDS DRIVE – Following Elmbridge’s refusal of this application to provide 2nd floor private amenity terraces to Blocks B, C and D, the applicant has recently appealed this decision. The original application for 8 – 14 Oatlands Drive (2020/3223) was refused by Elmbridge but permitted on Appeal. In his decision, the Appeals Inspector stated ‘the development hereby permitted shall not at any time be altered or adapted to form a balcony, roof garden or similar amenity area without the grant of a further specific permission from the local planning authority’. This restriction was imposed to protect the amenity of neighbouring properties. Having sold their properties to the developer to facilitate 2025/2267 above, the probability is that the Inspector will allow the appeal.
2025/1715 22 OATLANDS AVENUE – this application to demolish the existing bungalow and replace it with two detached two-storey buildings to create 3 duplex maisonettes and 3 flats on the site was refused by Elmbridge. We objected to the application but would welcome a proposal for detached or semi-detached homes on this site which would be more in keeping with the neighbouring properties.
2025/2670 CARTREF, ELLESMERE ROAD – This proposes demolition of Cartref, a unique period property, to be replaced by a development of 15 large family homes with 31 parking spaces. The initial proposal had zero provision for visitor parking but amended drawings were submitted adding a total of four visitor spaces. This is still insufficient given the number of large family homes proposed coupled with the limited availability of parking places on Ellesmere Road. In the Society’s view, the proposed development of 15 two storey houses with ‘rooms in the roof’ represents significant overdevelopment of the site. We have submitted two letters of objection and note that to date there are a total of 43 objections mainly from local residents who are concerned about parking, overdevelopment and the impact on the amenity of existing residents.
2026/0260 HIGH TREES, BRIDGWATER ROAD – High Trees, a single storey bungalow, is located on a wide but shallow plot at the end of a long drive and borders houses in Bladen Close and The Ponds on Ellesmere Road, The applicant is proposing to add a further storey to create a substantial house with five bedrooms, two dressing rooms, three en-suites and a bathroom in what is described as ‘rooms in the roof’. An earlier application 2025/1285 was dismissed on appeal due to the proximity of the proposed dwelling to properties in Bladen Close. The Society submitted letters of objection to both applications in support of local residents.
2026/0396 GARDEN LAND TO REAR OF 39 OATLANDS CHASE – An application to construct a terrace of three two-storey dwellings with ‘rooms in the roof’ in the rear garden of the host property. We objected to several similar applications in Oatlands Chase where developments were permitted in the rear gardens of substantial homes and raised concerns that consent would set a precedent.
2025/3210 – 10 SHIP YARD – This site is adjacent to The Kitchen Shop in Weybridge. The application proposes demolition of the existing buildings and replace with a development of 2 detached two-storey houses on a very small plot with very little amenity space and zero parking provision. Although a number of local residents objected to the proposal, the scheme was granted consent at the 23rd April sub-committee planning meeting.
2025/3165 PAVEMENT OUTSIDE 44 HIGH STREET
This application together with associated advertisement consent 2025/3217 are for a free-standing BT Hub. Elmbridge has refused a considerable number of similar applications in various locations in the borough. We submitted a letter of objection and included this photograph to illustrate this location’s intended use as a public amenity space.
s above and also refused. We submitted an objection letter with a photograph of the location (outside Waitrose and very close to the bus stop). The wall outside Waitrose is the proposed location for an historic mural.
COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION
The trend to convert commercial offices located above shops into residential accommodation continues – see current proposals listed below:
2025/1102 HOLMES HOUSE, 24-30 BAKER STREET – Several applications have been refused due to Daylight/Sunlight issues but in this case the Appeals Inspector disagreed with Elmbridge and allowed the appeal for 8 flats.
2025/1893 REAR OF HOLMES HOUSE, 24-30 BAKER STREET This application for a modern 4-storey building in the rear section of the existing car park to create 5 flats was refused due to the buildings siting, combined height, width, depth and design resulting in a cramped form of development.
2025/3227 – 32-34 BAKER STREET – This Prior Approval application to convert a Commercial building into a residential development comprising 6 flats was permitted. This follows consent for an additional storey on the building to create two flats – application 2025/0184.
2025/3257 LAND TO REAR OF 32-34 BAKER STREET – An 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 due to the proposed mass and scale causing harm to the residents of the flatted development behind Wellington House as well as poor quality accommodation for future occupiers and the lack of sufficient parking provision.
2025/2420 2 HIGH STREET, WEYBRIDGE (formerly ELMBRIDGE ARMS PUBLIC HOUSE) This is a major project to provide 2 retail units on the ground floor with 5 flats on the 1st and 2nd floors of the existing building and a new development of 8 mews style flats to the rear. Twenty objections have been received with local residents concerned that the scheme represents overdevelopment of the site coupled with major concerns about the limited parking provision.
2026/0654 – MARINE HOUSE 18 – 20 BAKER STREET (above El Meson de Los Hermanos) This latest application to add a boxy 3m tall ‘roof extension’, follows several applications which were refused due to lack of daylight/sunlight issues (2025/1422, 2025/2409). We objected to the previous applications due to the impact the additional storey would have on the character of the area. However, the planning officer considers that an additional storey is acceptable which disregards the guidelines set out in the Elmbridge Design Code in respect of roofscapes. With a reduction in the number of proposed flats from four to three, this application is likely to receive consent. Our letter included this photograph to illustrate the impact of the additional storey on the street scene. Application 2025/1118 for two 4-bedroom flats, one on each of 1st and 2nd floors, already has consent.
2026/0553 NICHOLSON HOUSE, 41 THAMES STREET – Elmbridge has received a raft of applications for this site all of which have been refused. This latest ‘Prior Approval Change of Use from Commercial to Residential’ application is for 21 ‘studio’ flats with 22 car parking spaces. We recently submitted an objection letter in support of the many local residents who would be adversely affected by such a major change. Previous applications (2025/1479, 2025/2206, 2025/2983) have been 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 – This ‘removal of condition’ application concerns a building located within the site formerly used as a print room. 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 in order to protect the amenity of nearby residents. Those residents believe that if the condition is removed, the applicant will seek permission to develop this building into more flats.
2025/2865 NICHOLSON HOUSE, THAMES STREET – Following refusal to construct a single-storey building for cycle and refuse storage, this application has been taken to appeal.
DEVELOPMENTS FURTHER AFIELD – There are several significant development proposals for Hersham including:
HERSHAM TECHNOLOGY PARK (Air Products) 2025/2530 – This application for a total of 262 flats and houses with a significant number of ‘affordable’ homes was granted consent in March 2026 with the majority of Councillors voting in favour. As there are outstanding legal issues to resolve, the EBC website has yet to register the consent.
2026/0447 LAND SOUTH OF 131 – 147 BURWOOD ROAD – an application for 62 dwellings (on green belt land).
2026/0036 CAR PARK, MAYFIELD ROAD, WALTON – this application proposes construction of a three-storey block to provide 23 flats on a car park which serves Walton Station.
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.
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.