Consultation draft Vision for Claygate
Cabinet Paper
Committee: Individual Cabinet Member Decision Making – Planning
Date of Meeting: 19 March 2025
| Subject: | Placemaking - Claygate Vision and Action Plan |
| Lead Officer: | Sarah Pharoah – Planning Policy and Strategy Manager |
| Portfolio Holder: | Councillor Caroline James |
| Link to Council Priorities: | Sustainable, Thriving, Community |
| Exempt information: | None |
| Delegated Status: | For resolution |
| Key Decision: | No |
Executive Summary:
The Claygate Vision and Action Plan has been developed by the Council working with Claygate Parish Council as part of the Council’s placemaking ambitions. The Claygate Vision work has followed on from the initial survey work undertaken by the Claygate Village Association, that sought views on residents’ concerns and aspirations for the future of Claygate.
At the heart of the draft vision is the rejuvenation of the shopping areas, creating a thriving and prosperous centre and a hub for the community. New development will be guided by Elmbridge Borough Council’s Development Plan Design Code and enhanced by high quality buildings whilst retaining its green and leafy character. Claygate will continue to be a socially responsible and caring community by supporting the health and well-being of its community, in partnership with the voluntary sector.
When considering the outcome of the Local Plan Examination and the associated timelines with the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), officers have identified short-term initiatives in the Claygate Vision Action Plan that could be implemented within the LGR timeframe.
The draft Vision for Claygate is set out as Appendix 1 and the Action Plan with the short-term priorities is set out in Appendix 2.
Recommended: that the Cabinet Member for Planning
- (a) Agree a 4-week consultation on the Claygate Vision as part of the Claygate Placemaking project.
- (b) Authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Environmental Health, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, to make such minor alterations to improve consultation documents as deemed necessary.
Report:
| 1. | Background |
| 1.1 | Placemaking is an approach that informs and facilitates the delivery of council and community-led projects and initiatives. It is a collaborative process that empowers communities to shape and improve their neighbourhoods in partnership with key stakeholders such as the borough council. This commitment was initiated through the Council’s Vision. |
| 1.2 | The Claygate Vision and Action Plan has been developed by the Council working with Claygate Parish Council. The Claygate Vision work has followed on from the initial survey work undertaken by the Claygate Village Association, that sought views on residents’ concerns and aspirations for the future of Claygate. A copy of the survey and the final report on the findings of the survey was presented to Elmbridge Borough Council Officers in May 2024. |
| 1.3 | The results of the Claygate Village Association survey highlighted six topic areas with several recommendations stemming from them: * Shops and businesses
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| 1.4 | Following meetings between the Council and Claygate Village Association, the development of the Vision for Claygate and the associated Action Plan was passed the Council and Claygate Parish Council to develop further and consult upon. |
| 1.5 | Since May 2024, EBC Officers have been working with Claygate Parish Council to develop the Vision and Action Plan, identifying actions that are within the scope of Placemaking in Elmbridge. This work has culminated into a draft vision (attached at Appendix 1), to endorse the commitment between EBC and the Claygate community as part of placemaking in Claygate. |
| 2.0 | The draft Vision and Action Plan |
| 2.1 | At the heart of the vision is the rejuvenation of the shopping areas, creating a thriving and prosperous centre and a hub for the community. New development will be guided by Elmbridge Borough Council’s Local Plan and Design Code and enhanced by high quality buildings whilst retaining its green and leafy character. Claygate will continue to be a socially responsible and caring community by supporting the health and well-being of its community, in partnership with the voluntary sector. |
| 2.2 | The draft Vision is sets out what Claygate is like now and the aspirations for the future in the first section. This is followed by three key areas – Thriving Claygate, Sustainable Living and Our Village Community. The vision objectives under each area is summarised below. |
| 2.3 | Thriving Claygate includes the objectives of exploring business initiatives to protect and promote independent shops, improving village parking and public transport access, promoting a café culture and improving the pedestrian environment. |
| 2.4 | Sustainable Living in Claygate includes the vision objectives of promoting good design, increasing the diversity of housing tenures to include affordable housing and small units, promoting active travel and increasing street scene planting. |
| 2.5 | Our Village Community sets out objectives to explore the opportunities for a gym or other physical fitness facility in the village, to improve the awareness of health and well-being related activities and to establish a multi-purpose community hub, amongst other objectives. |
| 2.6 | The draft Action Plan (appendix 2) sets out a series of short and medium term actions to help deliver the objectives in the Vision. The actions will need to be delivered by a range of organisations including EBC, SCC and the Parish Council. |
| 3.0 | Consultation |
| 3.1 | The consultation on the Claygate draft Vision and Action Plan is proposed to take place for 4 weeks from Thursday 3 April at 9am to Tuesday 1 May at 5pm. |
| 3.2 | The consultation documents which will include the Vision, the Action Plan, a consultation information summary and a short survey will be published on the consultation portal on the Council’s website. The consultation will be publicised online though the website and social media and through the Parish Council in Claygate. |
| 3.3 | During the consultation period a drop-in session hosted by EBC officers and Claygate Parish Council will be held in Claygate. |
| 3.4 | As part of the consultation, the summary document will give an overview of the Vision and Action Plan but will explain in more detail the current positions on Green Belt of the Parish Council and Elmbridge Borough Council and the proposed process and feasibility study that EBC will undertake on the Torrington Lodge Car Park, as these are two areas that have been raised previously by the Community. |
| 4.0 | Next Steps |
| 4.1 | If the Cabinet member resolves to agree the recommendations, subject to the call-in period, the draft Vision and Action Plan would be published for consultation as set out in section 3.0 of the report. All responses received would then be collected and considered by the Council and the Parish Council, prior to the Vision and Action Plan being formally adopted. |
Financial Implications: None for the purposes of this report.
Environmental/Sustainability Implications: None for the purposes of this report.
Legal Implications: None for the purposes of this report.
Equality Implications: None for the purposes of this report.
Risk Implications: None for the purposes of this report.
Community Safety Implications: None for the purposes of this report.
Principal Consultees: Planning Policy and Strategy Manager, Head of Planning and Environmental Health, CMB, Legal and Finance.
Background Papers: None for the purposes of this report.
Enclosures/Appendices:
- Appendix 1 Claygate Draft Vision
- Appendix 2 Claygate Short-term Action Plan
Contact Details: Sarah Pharoah - Planning Policy and Strategy Manager spharoah@elmbridge.gov.uk
Appendix 1: The Draft Vision
Claygate is an attractive village with a distinctive character and a powerful sense of community and identity. Surrounded by woodland and open countryside and with easy access to London, it will be a place where people aspire to live and are reluctant to leave.
The village has two centres, the tree-lined Parade with its independent shops and cafes and the old village with its small historic High Street and village green. Together these will ensure a thriving, sustainable local economy and provide places to meet, socialise and connect. With its central railway station, quiet roads, and village atmosphere, Claygate will draw in visitors from urban areas to visit cafes, shops and enjoy easy access to the green spaces and surrounding countryside during the day, and restaurants and pubs at night.
Claygate has an attractive mix of low-density historic and contemporary housing which sit well together. New development will be guided by the Elmbridge Council Design Code and will ensure all developments fit within the existing character of Claygate respecting prevailing heights and roof lines throughout the village and focusing on smaller homes/dwellings. These developments will increase the diversity of housing tenure to include affordable housing.
Claygate will be a safe and secure place to live for people of all ages. It will continue to be a socially responsible and caring community with a high degree of participation in voluntary activities and an inclusive range of social, cultural, and sporting activities. Local initiatives will support health and wellbeing of all Claygate residents particularly those most in need.
Thriving Claygate
- Explore the potential for a Village Business Initiative to protect and promote independent shops and small businesses with a collective Claygate website to promote everything the village has to offer.
- Promote a café culture and other initiatives such as a village market, to boost footfall for local shops and maintain the vitality and viability of the village local centres.
- Improve parking provision and pricing to reflect the needs of local shoppers, residents, and commuters.
- Reduce traffic congestion in The Parade and surrounding streets.
- Improve the experience for pedestrians in the village especially those with reduced mobility / impaired sight by removing street clutter, installing seating, pedestrian crossings, etc.
- Improve access to Claygate railway station for all users including the railway footbridge.
- Provide clear signage to car parks, amenities, etc and provide wayfinding throughout the village.
- Improve public transport provision, links and connectivity throughout the village and to other parts of the Borough.
Sustainable Living
- Promote good design in all new developments to meet the requirements of the Elmbridge Design Code and Claygate Village Design Statement.
- Increase the diversity of housing tenure to include affordable housing and small units for younger people and those who are downsizing.
- Produce a Development Brief for Torrington Lodge Car Park.
- New developments will showcase sustainable building practices.. and will encourage 20% biodiversity net gain.
- Promote active travel within the village through improvements to pedestrian and cycle routes and associated facilities.
- Improve traffic management and road safety within the village.
- Preserve and enhance the provision of and access to green spaces in and around the village including the recreation ground, community gardens, allotments, and village greens and green infrastructure links to neighbouring areas.
- Increase planting including trees, tubs, and troughs to create a visually attractive street scene and encourage biodiversity throughout the village.
- Promote the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly products and practices by local businesses and residents.
Our Village Community
- Ensure the provision of sufficient places in local schools for Claygate families.
- Create and maintain high quality, imaginative and safe spaces for children and young people to play and socialise.
- Explore opportunities for a gym or other physical fitness facility in the village.
- Maintain and enhance the provision and accessibility of health and wellbeing facilities to meet the needs of residents of all ages. * Improve awareness of the health & wellbeing activities and facilities on offer in the village.
- Encourage the provision of spaces where people can socialise, congregate, connect, engage with, and participate in activities that will benefit both individual wellbeing and the wellbeing and resilience of the community.
- Establish a multi-purpose community hub to serve people of all ages.
Appendix 2: Draft Claygate Placemaking Vision action plan
| Short term deliverables | Organisation responsible for implementation | Action details | Timescales |
| EBC to conduct a 1- year trial of one-hour free parking period in Torrington Lodge Car park, supported by local shops and businesses tracking and reporting changes in footfall over the year to account for seasonal patterns. | EBC | The Council is currently piloting this scheme in Walton (30 mins free parking until March 2025). This scheme will be extended to Torrington Lodge and Hare Lane Car Parks on 1 April 2025. | In progress |
| Village restaurants, cafes, bars to work with EBC to further develop a sense of community by promoting use of outdoor spaces e.g., pavement cafés and restaurants. | EBC/CPC | CPC to provide support to individual businesses. EBC to advise with permits & operational requirements. | Ongoing |
| The existing main provider of rental accommodation in Claygate (PA Housing), be encouraged to develop those under-developed sites that they own to increase housing stock of smaller units in Claygate. | EBC, PA | PA Housing Association is currently reviewing their development strategy and prioritising their land holdings. No short-term plans as yet. EBC will continue to meet with PA Housing for updates. | In progress |
| Torrington Lodge Car Park redevelopment. | EBC, CPC | EBC Planning and Property will undertake a feasibility study into the options for redevelopment. | In progress |
| Increase awareness of the car parking locations and pricing through improved signage by EBC and via village communication channels (e.g. Claygate Courier, CPC, Social media pages) | EBC, SCC | Visible signs to Torrington Lodge Car Park currently obscured entrance. EBC To discuss with SCC. | In progress |
| Improve traffic management and road safety within the village. | SCC, EBC, CPC |
|
In progress |
| Take steps to maintain the provision of existing health and well-being services in the village. | EBC, SCC, CPC, CCBS, NHS, EEPCN | In October 2024, Elmbridge Borough Council announced its plans to expand support and help more people in need. In January and February 2025, the Council ran a detailed engagement program with residents, volunteers and community groups to gather views on community support. The results of the survey will shape the future of Claygate Centre for the community and other community centers within Elmbridge. | In progress |
- source: Elmbridge Borough Council
