Draft Tall Buildings Strategy

Overview

Kingston’s Draft Tall Buildings Strategy is an evidence base document that supports the preparation of Kingston’s new Local Plan and its policies, which will be used to guide all future development in the borough. 

Kingston is a highly constrained borough and in order to support the construction of new homes we need to make the most of the sites where development is possible and protect other areas such as our Green Belt.

As we expect future new development to include some tall buildings we have produced a Tall Buildings Strategy to respect the character, heritage and views in our borough and make sure that any proposed tall buildings are in the most appropriate locations. To create this document we have carried out extensive research and mapping to assess suitability and sensitivity of different areas. 

As well as assessing them using this strategy, any proposals for tall buildings would also be expected to meet exemplary design standards and address all other policies set out in the new Local Plan.  

An earlier version of this document, the Emerging Tall Building Strategy, was published to support the consultation on the first draft of the Local Plan which took place from 28 November 2022 and 28 February 2023. A number of changes have since been made:

• A new map has been added which more clearly highlights the areas of the borough which are most suitable for tall buildings. This map overlays the factors relating to tall building suitability, such as public transport accessibility, proximity to town centre amenities and locations of existing tall buildings, which are an indication of an existing urban character.
• Sensitivity maps for each study area, and a combined sensitivity map has been created which includes conservation and heritage, views and open space. Buffers have been added around heritage assets to indicate greater sensitivity. These maps highlight where sensitivities are most concentrated in the borough.
• Some minor changes have been made to the extent of sites and locations considered appropriate for tall buildings.

A copy of the Draft Tall Buildings Strategy can be downloaded from the Related section at the bottom of this webpage. 

We have also created an interactive online version of some of the pages within the document, so that you can more easily search and zoom in on the maps. 

A document containing some frequently asked questions is also available to read. 

Why your views matter

We know that this is an important topic and although there is no statutory duty for us to consult on this we want to share it with our communities to give people an opportunity to review it and share their comments and let us know if there is anything incorrect or missing.

During this engagement we would like to learn if there:

• Is any technical information or evidence missing that people feel should be considered as part of the strategy
• If there are any factual errors or omissions in the strategy 

We know that there are wide-ranging views on building heights. However as this is an evidence base document, providing an objective assessment, we are not asking whether you agree or disagree with the findings of the strategy. 

How to get in touch with us

If you have any comments on the Draft Tall Buildings Strategy you can:  

• Complete the online survey below.
• Send an email to localplan@kingston.gov.uk
• Write to Spatial Planning Team, The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Guildhall 2, High Street, Kingston, KT1 1EU

If you have any questions, or need any of the information in a different format, please get in touch with us via phone: 020 8547 5000, or email localplan@kingston.gov.uk.

What happens next

Thank you to everyone who shared their comments. 

Council officers are now reviewing all the comments we received. Where appropriate amendments will be made to the document to address the concerns or comments received.

A final document will then be published on the Local Plan evidence page on our website and used to inform the preparation of the Local Plan. The Publication version (Regulation 19 stage) of the new Local Plan will be published for public consultation, in 2024.