Kingston's Local Plan - Regulation 19 consultation

Overview

Kingston’s new Local Plan (2028 - 2043) sets out a vision for a thriving, inclusive and sustainable borough. The Local Plan will guide how the borough grows and develops over the next 15 years, including homes, jobs, infrastructure, community facilities, culture and leisure opportunities, and green spaces for future generations to thrive in, whilst celebrating and protecting what makes our Royal Borough unique.

The Local Plan also sets out where development can take place and the planning policies used to make decisions on future planning applications.

At this stage, which is called a Regulation 19 consultation, we are asking whether you think Kingston’s Local Plan is legally compliant and meets the tests of ‘soundness’ as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), paragraphs 36-38. If you believe something has not been done correctly, or that the plan does not meet the required standards, we would like to hear from you.

To help you provide feedback, we have included information below explaining what is meant by legal compliance and soundness. 

All the documents relevant to this consultation can be found at the bottom of this page.

What does soundness mean?

The government requires all Local Plans to be 'sound'. This means the Plan must be:

  • positively prepared (it must plan for enough homes, jobs and infrastructure to meet the borough's needs)
  • justified (the decisions made must be based on solid evidence)
  • effective (the plan must be deliverable in practice)
  • consistent with national policy (it must follow government planning guidance)

For more information on soundness, please visit the GOV.UK website.

What does legal compliance mean?

The Local Plan must have been prepared in line with all legal requirements.

This includes:

  • being prepared in accordance with the council's Local Development Scheme and its Statement of Community Involvement
  • being subject to a Sustainability Appraisal, Strategic Environmental Assessment, and a Habitat Regulations Assessment
  • including policies designed to secure that the development and use of land in the local planning authority's area contribute to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change
  • being prepared in accordance with the Equality Act 2010
  • complying with all other relevant legal requirements including the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the 2012 Regulations, which include following the necessary steps for consultation and publicity

For more information on legal compliance, please visit the GOV.UK website.

What is the difference between Regulation 18 (previous rounds of consultation) and 19 (current stage)?

  • Regulation 18 (previous stages): we asked for your thoughts, ideas and aspirations for Kingston across three rounds of engagement. Your responses have helped shape the Local Plan into the document you see today.
  • Regulation 19 (this stage): this phase is more focused and technical. At this stage, we are asking if the draft Local Plan is legally compliant and sound, rather than whether you agree with the policies.

How you can share any final comments 

The quickest and easiest way to share your comments is online, through this survey. 

You can also:

  • email localplan@kingston.gov.uk
  • send your comments into us: Spatial Planning Team, The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Guildhall 2, High Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1EU
  • visit any open library in the borough or the Information and Advice Centre (Guildhall 2, High Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1EU)  to pick up a feedback form and stamped addressed envelope to return your comments

Come along to one of our drop-in events to speak with the Spatial Planning Team

Wednesday 22 July 2026
When: 4pm – 7pm
Where: Hook Centre, Hook Road, Chessington KT9 1EJ

Saturday 25 July 2026
When: 12pm – 3pm
Where: Market House, Ancient Market Place, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1JS

Wednesday 12 August 2026
When: 4pm – 7pm
Where: New Malden Methodist Church (Lower Hall), 49 High Street, New Malden, KT3 4BY

Saturday 15 August 2026
When: 9am – 1pm
Where: Surbiton Farmers' Market, Maple Road Surbiton, KT6 4AW

All comments should be received by the Council by 11.59pm on Friday 4 September 2026. Only those representations made within the period set by the Council will be taken into account by the Inspector as part of the examination.

Coming soon: Habitat Regulations Assessment

The Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is currently being finalised and will be published within the first couple of weeks of the Regulation 19 consultation. The HRA will be added to this Local Plan consultation webpage as soon as it’s available and will form part of the consultation documents. 

Take part in the Local Plan examination by the Planning Inspectorate

Once a Local Plan has been submitted to the Government, an Inspector will be appointed to examine it. The Inspector will look through our Local Plan, the associated evidence base, as well as any feedback from this consultation. Following this, a public hearing will be arranged and if you have made a comment on this consultation, you may have the opportunity to speak at the hearing, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to. Your feedback, whether you speak at the hearing or not, will still be considered fully. 

We have been listening to residents and communities throughout this process. Your feedback has directly shaped the policies in this draft Plan. Once this consultation has closed, we will review all of the comments received, prepare and submit Kingston’s Local Plan to the Planning Inspectorate by the end of the year. We will keep you updated as we move through the Local Plan process. 

You can find more about the Local Plan process on the GOV.UK website

Need help?

If you have any questions about this survey or the Local Plan or you need this information in a different format or language, please call us on 020 8547 5000 and ask to speak to the Spatial Planning Team or email us localplan@kingston.gov.uk.

Tamil (தமிழ்)

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Korean (한국인)

문의 사항이 있거나 문서를 다른 형식으로 받고 싶다면 localplan@kingston.gov.uk 으로 이메일을 보내거나, 시청 연락센터(020 8547 5000)로 전화해 참여팀 담당자의 연락을 요청해 주세요.

Polish (Polska)

Jeśli potrzebujesz tych informacji przetłumaczonych na język polski, lub usług tłumacza, napisz wiadomość na adres localplan@kingston.gov.uk. Wiadomość może być napisana w wybranym przez siebie języku.

Arabic (عربي)

إذا كنت بحاجة إلى خدمات الترجمة الرجاءالكتابةإلى localplan@kingston.gov.uk يمكنك كتابة عنوان بريدك الإلكتروني باللغة

Closes 4 Sep 2026

Opened 6 Jul 2026

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