Residents from across our Royal Borough, are gathering to protest the adoption of a new “Local Plan” at the “Full Council Meeting” in advance of 7.30pm on Monday June 22nd at Kingston Guildhall. Kingston Conservatives are proud to join other local groups and parties in this protest and we are pleased to share in some detail why we are doing this.
Despite Kingston upon Thames being named recently as the “Ghost Homes Capital of the UK” with 2,000 empty homes from a total of around 65,000 Kingston’s “Liberal Democrats” are planning 20,000 new homes in the borough. Instead of improving transport infrastructure to cope with the increase they are planning to RESTRICT YOUR MOVEMENT instead!
We wanted to provide an overview of the situation to date as we understand it.
Residents Denied Democracy by Ed Davey’s “Liberal Democrats”!
In October last year Kingston’s “Liberal Democrats” blocked the release of the Kingston Local plan and cancelled the “Special Place Meeting” on 22nd October 2025 where it was due to be released. Council Leader Andreas Kirsch made several public statements saying the plan was “still being consulted on”, they had “put out a call for sites”, It “could not be released prior to the election because it wasn’t ready”. Despite full-scale staff changes within the planning team at Kingston and a period of vacant posts, within weeks of the local elections the plan is suddenly ready!
Published on Thursday June 11th to be Formally presented at the “Place Meeting” on Tuesday June 16th. , no longer a “special” meeting and with other items on the agenda time for discussion of the plan was limited. Councillors voted to pass the plan to full council for a final decision to adopt on Monday June 22nd. Conservative Councillor Ian George and Councillor James Giles of K.I.R.G. objected in the strongest possible terms and voted against. Councillor Andrew Woodridge of the “Liberal Democrats” responded to their concerns by explaining “None of this is new” “all this has been open to everyone for some time. You may disagree but there you go.” A rather different narrative to Councillor Kirsch’s pre election statements!
Questions from the public were (in theory) able to be submitted in advance, in writing by members of the public. The closing date for these questions was Thursday June 11th. The same day the plan was quietly made available on the council website. Additional “late material” (over 800 pages) was published on Tuesday June 16th.
Why the need to delay publication of this plan until after the local election? And why the need to rush it through within 10 days of the first tranche of documents being released.
The whole concept of democracy relies on telling the electorate broadly what you are planning and asking them to vote for it.
None of Local Conservatives pre-election analysis suggested anything other than the so called “Liberal Democrats” retaining control of Kingston Council on May 7th. Was it so important to win 44 out of 48 seats?
What is in this plan that they are so keen to pass it into law before anyone has a chance to even read it through let alone fully digest its contents?
Local Conservatives have identified a few very concerning entries in this plan and have added our own interpretation of what we think they are saying to residents.
“15 Minute Cities” (Persecuting Drivers)
Until very recently the idea of 15 minute cities was widely claimed to be nothing more than a “far right conspiracy theory”.
Today it is a central theme of Kingston “Liberal Democrats” newly unveiled local plan. Now labelled a 20 minute neighbourhood, so you will actually be expected to walk somewhat further!
“The foundational tier of this approach is to avoid the need to travel entirely. This is achieved through effective spatial planning that creates complete, compact, and well-connected communities, conceptually established as the "20-minute neighbourhood". By providing a diverse mix of uses (including housing, employment, shops and community facilities) alongside robust digital infrastructure to support remote working, planning policies can ensure that residents' daily needs are met within a short walk or cycle.” [Annex 10 – Local Plan]
Our interpretation:
“This document allows and requires planners ignore considerations for additional transport infrastructure when building massive residential property schemes and instead requires them to pretend everyone is willing and able to carry out their normal domestic, social and economic activity on foot, by bicycle or online.”
For those who may be particularly concerned about this due to age or physical limitations, or perhaps those who simply need to get to work, the plan lists as it’s first priority:
“Avoiding the need to travel: Prioritising digital connectivity, the co-location of essential services and mixed-use development to remove the necessity of physical journeys” [Annex 10 – Local Plan]
Our interpretation:
“Shut up and stay at home”.
But what if you simply need a car for work or just to get around in an area that is, unfortunately, one of London’s most poorly served by public transport?
“Private motorised vehicles: Placing the needs of private car users last, managed strictly through restricted maximum parking provision, car-free development in highly accessible areas, and reduced vehicle dominance in the public realm” [Annex 10 – Local Plan]
Our interpretation:
“We don’t care! Get out of your car. Walk, use a bicycle or stay in your house.”
Interestingly, at a recent South of The Borough neighbourhood meeting we again observed that all 7 “Liberal Democrat” councillors who attended arrived by car. All of them live locally in the south of the Borough. None arrived on foot or by bicycle!
“Social Justice” (Persecuting Home Owners)
It is not just your movement they are seeking to control. It is also where you live and how big your house is allowed to be.
“The 2024 Kingston Local Housing Needs Assessment (LHNA) indicates that the borough’s existing housing stock is heavily skewed toward larger properties, with 58% of all homes containing three or more bedrooms. This structural imbalance has resulted in high levels of under-occupancy in the market sector (32.5%), which stands in sharp contrast to the acute overcrowding observed in the social rented sector. Furthermore, demographic projections indicate a rapidly growing older population, which drives the requirement for attractive downsizing options to release larger, under-occupied family homes back into the general supply.” [Annex 6 Local Plan]
Our interpretation:
“Getting older, own your own house* and have a spare bedroom? Get out and move to a high-rise flat.”
*This does indeed refer to the very same house you also aren’t supposed to leave!
“Hook Park” Development (gridlocking the South of the Borough and A3)
The Local Plan includes an allocation for a large development of tall buildings on Greenbelt Land in Hook on the site of the Chessington Equestrian Centre.
The single most damaging development to the borough as a whole, the impact a large development on this site is likely to have on the local and regional transport network would be devastating. The access to the site is completely unsuitable for any large development without significant (and extremely difficult to implement) alterations to Hook junction, the Ace roundabout, the A308 and the A3.
For all the reasons we have laid out over the past year, reasons that local “Liberal Democrat” councillors all claimed to agree with prior to the local elections this is completely unacceptable and must be removed.
*In a late twist we discover on Sunday 21st June that the councils newly published (very quietly again) “Green belt assessment” has reclassified all the formerly protected “Green belt” land in Hook as “Grey belt”. If its in Hook and green on the map (including Lovelace School) it’s now classified as “Grey belt” and earmarked for future development. We have not yet had an opportunity to study plans for the whole borough with the Council meeting now Tomorrow.
Thank you so much for your attention,
Kingston Conservatives.
Promoted by Gia Borg-Darcy on behalf of the Kingston and Surbiton Conservative Association both at Cleaveland Mews, 9 Cleaveland Road, Surbiton KT6 4AH. Printed by KSCA.
