Surrey Heath Borough Council is pleased to announce a major step forward in progressing its Local Plan, which will guide development up to 2038.
Following a significant amount of work over a number of years and extensive public consultation, the council has received positive news from the Inspector undertaking the Local Plan Examination.
The Inspector sets out in their post-hearing letter of 21 January 2026:
“I consider that the plan is likely to be capable of being found sound and legally compliant subject to the main modifications that I indicated as being necessary in the hearing sessions, as well as those set out below.”
These additional main modifications involve deleting a small housing site allocation and making changes to green open space designations. Other main modifications discussed at hearing sessions relate to topics including housing, employment and environmental matters.
The Inspector’s conclusion is subject to the outcome of a Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment (if necessary) and the outcome of formal consultation on the main modifications.
The council is working with the Inspector on finalising the detailed wording of the main modifications to Local Plan policies. The council plans to publish these main modifications for consultation in Spring 2026. This will be the main final stage before proceeding to adopt the Local Plan later this year.
Surrey Heath Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Built Environment and Regulation Cllr Alan Ashbery said: “I am delighted the Inspector has concluded that our Local Plan is capable of being found sound and legally compliant. This is a key milestone for the council, and for securing development to meet the future needs of our communities.”
The Inspector’s post hearing letter is published on the Examination website
Further information on the Local Plan Examination is also available on the Local Plan webpages