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Consultation document

Identifying the challenges and opportunities for our Local Plan

Informed by your responses to previous consultations, the technical work, national policy and other Elmbridge strategies, we have analysed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the borough. From this 'SWOT' analysis we have been able to identify the key challenges and opportunities which we think our new Local Plan should address. These sources of information have also been used to develop our ideas on what the vision should include, the objectives and direction for policies.

 

 

Strengths 

 

Weaknesses

 

Opportunities 

 

 

 Threats
  •  Strong entrepreneurial culture
  • Rail and road links to London and international airports
  • High quality environment
  • Good access to significant amounts of open space
  • National emphasis on building homes that meets local needs
  • High rates of educational attainment and economic activity 
  •  Local economy and services reliant on in-commuting work-force
  • Flood risk and water stress
  • Reliance on private cars for short cross-borough trips
  • Lack of housing choice and affordable homes
  • Limited land supply to meet housing need
  • Concentrated areas of deprivation
  • Pressure on local and first choice primary and secondary school places
  •  Changing demand for business space
  • Changing shopping habits and evolving role of the high street
  • Strong community spirit
  • Distinctive local character
  • National and local commitment to increase biodiversity, reduce our carbon footprint and respond to climate change
  • Visitor, cultural, heritage and natural assets
  •  Congestion and air quality impacts of growth
  • Extremely high land values leading to pressure to redevelop for housing
  • Affordability issues for housing and small businesses
  • Pressure for development and national emphasis on housing building
  • Infrastructure delivery unable to keep up with growth and new technologies

      

We think the emerging key issues and challenges facing Elmbridge are:

  • Preparing for any impacts from climate change and reducing the borough's carbon footprint.
  • Relieving congestion which hinders movement of people and goods through and around the borough at peak times.
  • Increasing cross-borough accessibility and encouraging sustainable travel.
  • Improving air quality.
  • Enhancing access to open space and making the most of our green and blue infrastructure.
  • Conserve and enhance the borough's natural assets, rivers and waterways and tranquil areas.
  • Management of water supply, water quality, waste water management and flood risk.
  • Improving choice of employment space which responds to market demand and enables businesses to grow without leaving the borough.
  • Maintaining vibrant and adaptable town and local centres which respond to changing shopping habits and community needs.
  • Enhancing and maintaining the borough's attractiveness and distinctive identity as a place to live, work and visit.
  • Improving health and wellbeing of residents.
  • Providing the right types of homes to ensure housing choice to meet the needs of the community.
  • Addressing affordable housing shortage.
  • Estate and community regeneration.
  • Protecting and enhancing the borough's historic and cultural assets.
  • Delivering the strategic and local infrastructure to support growth and regeneration.

 


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