This is the home page of the website for the Epsom Civic Society, which seeks to protect and enhance the heritage and green space of Epsom, while encouraging good design in new building which is sympathetic to the context in which it is situated. We encourage a sense of civic pride in all Epsom residents and workers.
Links to recent posts in all categories can be found to the right on your screen.
Most posts relate to Planning matters, both planning policy and individual applications, but feel free to explore the menus for additional content.
If you live or work in Epsom, and care about keeping it as a nice place to live and work, you can join us here.
Stop Press News November 2024 – Epsom Draft Local Plan available
The Borough’s Planning team have now published in their report to the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee (LPPC) the Draft Local Plan (together with its supporting Evidence Base documents) to go forward to the so-called Regulation 19 Public Consultation in January to February 2025.
The Draft Plan will be discussed at the LPPC on Wednesday 20/11/2024, when the Committee will decide whether or not to recommend its approval by Full Council on Tuesday 10/12/2024. Both these approvals are required before the Draft Plan can be formally published for consultation.
Epsom Civic Society’s Planning sub-committee have reviewed the Draft Plan and concluded that, despite a number of concerns, it is time to support it. The alternative is continual rejection of a succession of draft plans as not being ‘perfect’ which will just leave the council with:-
no Plan for several more years;
more random and inappropriate developments;
more repeating Plan development and consultation costs;
less ability to help more homeless households.
Accordingly, the Society has written to Councillors on the LPPC urging them to support the Draft Plan. See our letter here. The Society has also issued a Press Release, available here.
However, there are a number of aspects of the Draft Local Plan that have not been addressed in the report to the LPPC about which the Society has concerns. These are being taken up urgently with the Head of Planning.
A brief history of the Epsom Civic Society follows. The Society was founded in 1959 as the Epsom Protection Society, at a time when many historic and architecturally valuable buildings and houses in Epsom and Ewell were being threatened by developers. Then, our primary role was to halt the destruction of Epsom’s heritage and to ensure that new development was compatible with the traditional character of the town. In 2011, our name was changed to Epsom Civic Society. Our purpose continues to be to protect the heritage of Epsom and to encourage high standards of new planning and building; but the change of name reflects the wider concerns of the Society to promote civic pride and to inspire progressive improvement in the quality of urban life for everyone. The Society is a founder member of Civic Voice, the national charity for the civic movement in England, and shares common aims with other civic societies. We:-
care about the surroundings – the places where people live and work and enjoy leisure
want to find solutions to environmental problems
wish to improve the fabric of the town for present and future generations
help to safeguard the heritage and character of Epsom
listen to the local community and campaign for their interests
encourage high standards of planning, design and architecture in the built environment and the retention of open spaces
Home
This is the home page of the website for the Epsom Civic Society, which seeks to protect and enhance the heritage and green space of Epsom, while encouraging good design in new building which is sympathetic to the context in which it is situated. We encourage a sense of civic pride in all Epsom residents and workers.
Links to recent posts in all categories can be found to the right on your screen.
Most posts relate to Planning matters, both planning policy and individual applications, but feel free to explore the menus for additional content.
If you live or work in Epsom, and care about keeping it as a nice place to live and work, you can join us here.
Stop Press News November 2024 – Epsom Draft Local Plan available
The Borough’s Planning team have now published in their report to the Licensing and Planning Policy Committee (LPPC) the Draft Local Plan (together with its supporting Evidence Base documents) to go forward to the so-called Regulation 19 Public Consultation in January to February 2025.
The Draft Plan will be discussed at the LPPC on Wednesday 20/11/2024, when the Committee will decide whether or not to recommend its approval by Full Council on Tuesday 10/12/2024. Both these approvals are required before the Draft Plan can be formally published for consultation.
Epsom Civic Society’s Planning sub-committee have reviewed the Draft Plan and concluded that, despite a number of concerns, it is time to support it. The alternative is continual rejection of a succession of draft plans as not being ‘perfect’ which will just leave the council with:-
Accordingly, the Society has written to Councillors on the LPPC urging them to support the Draft Plan. See our letter here. The Society has also issued a Press Release, available here.
However, there are a number of aspects of the Draft Local Plan that have not been addressed in the report to the LPPC about which the Society has concerns. These are being taken up urgently with the Head of Planning.
Watch this space!
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A brief history of the Epsom Civic Society follows. The Society was founded in 1959 as the Epsom Protection Society, at a time when many historic and architecturally valuable buildings and houses in Epsom and Ewell were being threatened by developers. Then, our primary role was to halt the destruction of Epsom’s heritage and to ensure that new development was compatible with the traditional character of the town. In 2011, our name was changed to Epsom Civic Society. Our purpose continues to be to protect the heritage of Epsom and to encourage high standards of new planning and building; but the change of name reflects the wider concerns of the Society to promote civic pride and to inspire progressive improvement in the quality of urban life for everyone. The Society is a founder member of Civic Voice, the national charity for the civic movement in England, and shares common aims with other civic societies. We:-
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