For a quintessential English village just eight stops from London Waterloo, you can’t beat Claygate. Recently voted Surrey's sixth best place to live, Claygate features a traditional shopping parade packed with independent outlets, a cute village green and strong community spirit.
Claygate is an idyllic sought-after village, bordered by woods and countryside on three sides and interlacing with Esher and Hinchley Wood on its fourth. Community spirit is high—and the Claygate community calendar reflects that with a packed schedule of events throughout the year. It’s home to the country’s oldest village flower show—the Claygate Flower and Village Show—which takes place on a Saturday in July at the Claygate Recreation Ground, attracting upwards of 6,000 people. And the annual Christmas Lights switch-on is a big event at the end of November, sometimes with a local celebrity doing the honours—Cliff Richard and Ronnie Wood among them.
Claygate may have gained its name from the clay pits in the village that provided bricks for manor houses in much of the surrounding area, including most of Hampton Court Palace. But its origins go back to the Domesday Book of 1086. In the 1820s, the Claygate Pearmain apple was discovered here, growing in a hedge, by John Braddick.
The Planning Inspector has rejected Elmbridge's Local Plan. In response, Elmbridge can either revise its plan within six months, or start a new plan. The current Local Plan expires in 2026.
The Parish Council's Housing Working Group has drawn up a list of possible sites around Claygate which may be considered for development by Elmbridge.
The Planning Committee has decided to continue to meet monthly despite the fact that the majority of applications to which it objects never get considered at Elmbridge's monthly planning meetings.
