Kingston upon Thames Planning Consultant
Riverside town, Green Belt edge
Kingston upon Thames is a borough of two halves in planning terms: a busy riverside town centre that the London Plan expects to grow, and a suburban and semi-rural south around Chessington and Hook where Green Belt shapes most decisions. Cedar Planning helps householders, landlords and landowners work out which policies bite and how to answer them.
Cedar is a Chartered practice led by Dan Malloy MRTPI. We operate from Norfolk and take on work across England, London included, dealing directly with Kingston's planning officers and the Planning Inspectorate and arranging site visits whenever a project needs one.
- RTPI Chartered
- Fixed-fee quotations
- Direct advice from a Chartered Planner
Kingston's development plan in 2026: an old strategy and a new plan close to submission
Planning applications in the borough are still decided against the Core Strategy, adopted in April 2012, and the K+20 Kingston Town Centre Area Action Plan of 2008. Together with the London Plan 2021 and the South London Waste Plan, these form the statutory development plan. Both local documents predate current national policy, so officers often lean on the London Plan where the older wording has fallen behind.
A replacement is well advanced. The Kingston Local Plan 2028 to 2043 went out for Regulation 19 consultation between 6 July and 4 September 2026, with a separate six-week consultation on its Habitats Regulations Assessment to follow. The council is aiming to submit the plan to the Planning Inspectorate by December 2026, after which an independent examination will test its soundness.
The draft plan groups its policies under letter codes, including KD for design and heritage, KH for housing, KN for green infrastructure, Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land, and KE for the economy and town centres. It plans for close to 20,000 homes over fifteen years, well above the 964 a year set for Kingston in the London Plan.
Emerging policies gain weight as a plan moves through examination, so an application submitted in late 2026 or 2027 may need to address both the 2012 Core Strategy and the new draft. We check which version a case officer is likely to rely on before framing the planning argument.
Site allocations across the borough
The draft plan allocates sites in Kingston town centre, including Eden Quarter, the Bentall Centre, Canbury Place and Kingston Station, as well as Tolworth Tower, the CI Tower in New Malden, the Motspur Park gasholder and the Cambridge Road Estate. Chessington has several proposals, including land at the former golf course.
Planning issues particular to Kingston upon Thames
Chessington, Hook and the land around them are largely Green Belt under Core Strategy policy DM5. The new plan proposes release or grey belt treatment of some parcels, which makes representations and site promotion timely.
Riverside frontages from Kingston Bridge through Surbiton fall within the Thames Policy Area, managed by CS4 and DM7. Height, materials, public access to the river and views from the water all come under scrutiny.
An Article 4 Direction in force since July 2022, modified from 14 June 2023, removes Class MA rights in 39 town centres, local centres and employment areas, so many office and shop conversions now need full permission.
Beyond Class MA, the council has site-specific Article 4 Directions at the Seething Wells filter beds in Surbiton and at North Lodge and South Lodge, removing permitted development rights on those sensitive sites.
Planning services for Kingston projects
Each commission is priced as a fixed-fee quotation once we understand the site. These services are the ones Kingston clients ask for most.
Planning Applications
Infill homes, flat conversions and small mixed-use schemes in Surbiton, New Malden and Norbiton, argued against DM10 and DM13 and the London Plan's small sites policy H2.
View serviceClass MA Prior Approvals
We check whether a building sits inside one of the 39 Article 4 areas before advising on prior approval or a full application for office or retail to residential conversion.
View serviceLocal Plan Representations
Written and oral representations at the examination of the Kingston Local Plan 2028 to 2043, for owners of allocated land, omitted sites or Green Belt parcels proposed for release.
View serviceHeritage Statements
Assessments under DM12 for listed buildings and conservation areas in the old town, Surbiton, Coombe and along the river, weighing significance against the benefits of change.
View serviceHouseholder Applications
Rear extensions, loft conversions and outbuildings on the interwar estates of Tolworth, Berrylands and Old Malden, with drawings reviewed against amenity and character tests.
View serviceFeasibility Studies
An early read on sites in Chessington, Hook or the town centre, covering Green Belt status, flood zones, height and the draft allocations before money is spent on design.
View serviceCore Strategy codes, the town centre AAP and London Plan tests
The 2012 Core Strategy has sixteen strategic policies, CS1 to CS16, and a set of development management policies. The ones we meet most often are DM10 on design requirements, DM11 on design approach, DM12 on conservation areas and heritage assets, DM13 on housing quality and mix and DM4 on water management and flood risk. It named Kingston town centre, the Hogsmill Valley and Tolworth as its Key Areas of Change.
At regional level, the London Plan identifies Kingston as an Opportunity Area under Policy SD1, where higher densities are expected. Town centre schemes are also tested against D9 on tall buildings, G3 on Metropolitan Open Land, SI 12 on flood risk and SI 14 on waterways.
Kingston has charged its own Community Infrastructure Levy since its charging schedule was adopted in November 2015, with rates indexed each year, alongside the Mayoral CIL.
Policy themes that decide Kingston cases
Scale, massing and the rhythm of the street, most often raised on extensions and new houses in suburban roads.
Preserving or enhancing conservation areas and the setting of listed buildings, from the market place to Victorian Surbiton.
Openness tests for development on protected land, now read alongside national grey belt policy.
Sequential and exception tests near the Thames and Hogsmill; our sequential test work covers this.
A Consultancy That Works With You, For You
Kingston is between plans. The 2012 policies still apply, yet the new plan is about to be examined and will change the rules on Green Belt, height and site allocations. Knowing how much weight each carries on a given date is where advice usually pays for itself.
Landowners in Chessington and Hook, and anyone with a site named in the draft allocations, have a short window to shape the plan's final wording through the examination.
RTPI Chartered
Led by a Chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute with more than ten years of public and private-sector planning experience.
Honest Prospects
A realistic view of the planning risks and options before you commit time or money.
Fixed, Transparent Fees
Fixed-fee quotations agreed before work starts, so you know the cost from the outset.
Direct Access
You deal with the Chartered Planner doing the work, not an account manager.
Planning Consultants Across London
We cover every council area in London. See our main London planning consultants page.
Kingston upon Thames Planning FAQs
When will Kingston's new Local Plan replace the Core Strategy?
Not before examination. Regulation 19 consultation closed on 4 September 2026 and the council is aiming to submit the plan by December 2026. An Inspector will then hold hearings, and adoption follows only if the plan is found sound, possibly with modifications.
Can I use Class MA to turn a Kingston office into flats?
It depends on location. Class MA rights are withdrawn in 39 defined areas, including the main town centres and employment sites. Outside them, prior approval may still be available. Our Camden Class MA case study shows how a London prior approval is put together.
My land in Chessington is Green Belt. Is there any prospect of development?
Possibly. The draft Local Plan proposes releasing or reclassifying some Green Belt and grey belt land around Chessington and Hook. Whether your parcel is included, and whether it should be, is a matter for representations at examination. National grey belt policy may also apply.
Does Kingston have an Article 4 Direction for small HMOs?
The council's list of Article 4 Directions covers commercial to residential change, the Seething Wells filter beds and North Lodge and South Lodge, but not small HMOs. A change from a family house to a small HMO may therefore be permitted development, subject to licensing. We confirm the position for each address.
What does the Thames Policy Area mean for a riverside home in Surbiton?
Extensions and new buildings are tested for their effect on the river's character, views from the water and the towpath, and flood risk. Policies CS4 and DM7 apply, and materials and height usually attract the most comment.
Get a Free Quote
Tell us what you are trying to achieve and where the property or site is. We will give you an initial view and a fixed-fee quote.
Or email us at info@cedarplanning.co.uk with the relevant information.
Have a Kingston, Surbiton or Chessington site in mind? Book a free 15-minute call, or see our Local Plan representations and feasibility studies services.