Housing schemes continue to divide opinions as the council assesses submissions ahead of the final summer consultation
Kingston Council has closed the “Call for Sites” stage for its new Local Plan, designed to get interested parties to suggest locations for development in the borough.
The Local Plan is the borough’s long-term blueprint for future growth, setting out where new housing, infrastructure, and development could go and the policies that will inform planning decisions.
The council is now reviewing all previous submissions to assess which sites could be included in the updated final draft of the plan.
Kingston Council stated that the Call for Sites is “an opportunity for everyone, particularly landowners, agents and site developers, to suggest sites they believe have the potential to be developed in the future.”
The council stressed that all submitted sites will be “reviewed and assessed for their sustainability and suitability,” and only those “considered appropriate” will move forward as potential site allocations in the plan for future development. Any site proceeding will need to ensure that it can deliver infrastructure to support future growth.
Planning decisions come at a time of intense debate surrounding major housing proposals and competing pressures arising from housing targets and local concern over height, character and infrastructure.
In March, the council rejected plans proposing to redevelop the Motspur Park gasholder site into five blocks containing 586 homes, with buildings up to 16 storeys.
The Motspur Park proposal is one of the largest housing schemes to come before the council in recent months. The plans focused on redeveloping the former gasholder site which triggered debate around whether the scale of development was appropriate for the area and whether local infrastructure could cope with the impact of hundreds of new homes.
There were objections from local residents who expressed similar concerns about height and local infrastructure capacity. Additionally, the fact that the site had previously been designated as Metropolitan Open Land was a significant factor determining the committee’s refusal.
By contrast, a major extension of Signal Park in Tolworth has been recommended for approval by council officers. Plans include detailed proposals for 336 homes in blocks up to 16 storeys, plus outline permission for up to 629 more homes and additional facilities. The report also states the scheme would provide 415 affordable homes overall if approved.
While the council states that any sites progressed through the planning process must demonstrate that they will be able to support infrastructure, recent online discussions amongst residents raise questions regarding whether local services will be able to support future growth.
In borough Facebook groups such as Hook Park Developments (Clayton Road), multiple threads discussing planning and the Local Plan raised concerns around transparency and the impact of development on traffic, parking, and local services.
Similarly, in the Kingston Society Facebook group, members have contributed to discussions on issues related to the Local Plan, including tall buildings policy and potential development sites, reflecting continuing interest in how planning strategy could shape future decisions.
The Kingston Courier has contacted local residents’ groups for comment. The Council said the next major stage is a consultation on the final draft of the plan, which due to take place in summer 2026.
Residents can follow the next stage on the council’s Local Plan pages, where updates are published, and enquiries can be made to the Spatial Planning team via localplan@kingston.gov.uk.
