Residents staged a protest outside Kingston's Guildhall on June 22 against the final draft of the borough's Local Plan, which proposes building nearly 20,000 new homes over 15 years. Kingston Council agreed to move ahead with the plan, which will guide housing and infrastructure development up to 2043, after years of delay.
Plan Details and Concerns
The plan sets out the delivery of nearly 20,000 new homes on proposed sites across the borough, including Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) and green belt, from its expected adoption in 2028. Residents raised concerns about the suitability of allocated sites, areas designated for tall buildings, and proposed releases from green belt or MOL.
At a special council meeting on Monday night, residents and councillors criticized the authority for publishing thousands of pages of supporting information at short notice, leaving insufficient time for scrutiny. James Stanton, from Kingston Labour, said the administration had left Kingston an "easy target" for developers, blaming the council's failure to update the plan despite other London boroughs achieving it.
Political Reactions
Independent councillor James Giles stated that while the borough must provide housing, it should not accept any version of a Local Plan. He accused the administration of blaming others and said the evidence base was not sound. Conservative councillor Ian George also accused the council of "hiding from scrutiny" by releasing information at short notice.
Lib Dem councillor Andrew Wooldridge defended the process, citing delays due to national planning policy changes. He said the plan was informed by consultation, technical evidence, and extensive officer work, adding that continuing without an up-to-date Local Plan was not in residents' interests.
Council Leader's Defense
Lib Dem council leader Andreas Kirsch acknowledged that national policy changes required reclassifying some lower-quality green belt land as 'grey belt.' He described the plan as a "positive vision for Kingston," preserving the borough's character, heritage, environment, and green belt while supporting high streets and communities.
The council voted 38 in favor, three against, and two abstentions to proceed with publishing the final draft for public consultation from July 6 to September 4. After consultation, the plan will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination, with adoption expected by 2028.
