Richmond upon Thames Local Plan: adopted policies and emerging plans
Richmond’s 2024 to 2039 Local Plan and policies map were adopted on 7 October 2025. The council still labels its linked plan an interim formatted version, but the plan is adopted; the separate waste-plan replacement remains in consultation.
- Area
- London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England
- Official sources checked
- Profile updated
- Review status
- AI-assisted source check. Professional planning review not completed.
Check the planning authority first
Use the Richmond upon Thames borough boundary, not Richmondshire or a place-name search alone. The site’s location determines which plan and local guidance apply.
The council’s Village Planning Guidance is a set of SPDs. Its village labels should not be confused with separate local planning authorities or made neighbourhood plans.
Adopted development-plan documents
Read the relevant policy wording and map together. An unverified date is a gap in this profile, not a finding that a document has no legal effect.
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London Plan 2021
Adopted. March 2021 strategic plan.
London-wide strategic policies form part of the development plan. Read them with the relevant borough documents and any made neighbourhood plan.
Plan period and recorded dates
- Plan period
- Not verified
- Adopted or made
- Exact date not verified
- Separate effective date
- Not verified
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Richmond Local Plan 2024 to 2039
Adopted. October 2025; linked interim adopted version.
Adopted .
Replaces the policies in the 2015–18 Local Plan review and the 2013 Twickenham Area Action Plan. The council’s interim formatting label does not make the plan emerging.
Plan period and recorded dates
- Plan period
- 2024 to 2039
- Adopted or made
- Separate effective date
- Not verified
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West London Waste Plan
Adopted. 2015 joint plan.
Joint waste planning framework, separate from the borough-wide housing and design plan. The exact authority-specific adoption date has not been verified in this profile.
Plan period and recorded dates
- Plan period
- To 2031
- Adopted or made
- Exact date not verified
- Separate effective date
- Not verified
Policies maps and site boundaries
The adopted-plan page links the policies map alongside the October 2025 adopted documents. Use that map rather than the superseded 2018 plan’s map.
For the exact site, follow allocation and designation references into the plan, then check current constraints and the relevant village guidance.
Emerging plans and examination progress
The 2024–2039 Local Plan examination has concluded in adoption. Older hearing and modifications pages are the evidence trail, not the current stage.
The register says its linked text is an interim adopted version pending minor presentation updates. Use the latest version from that register and retain its version label.
The joint West London Waste Plan replacement is still separate: its listed Regulation 19 consultation closes 28 September 2026. No separate replacement borough-plan timetable is verified in this profile.
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West London Waste Plan update
Emerging: Regulation 19 consultation. Regulation 19 proposed submission consultation, August 2026.
Replacement waste plan consultation is listed for 4 August to 28 September 2026. It is not yet an adopted replacement.
Plan period and recorded dates
- Plan period
- To 2041
- Adopted or made
- Not adopted in checked sources
- Separate effective date
- Not verified
Published milestones and events
Local Plan and map adopted
Adoption statement confirms the borough plan’s status.
Housing and obligations guidance updated
Register lists adoption of Affordable Housing and Planning Obligations SPDs.
Biodiversity and tree guidance adopted
Register lists both SPDs on this date.
Joint waste consultation scheduled to close
Separate replacement waste-plan consultation; check the live notice.
Check the official programme before attending a hearing or relying on a deadline. A consultation, hearing or inspector's report is distinct from adoption. This page is a checked snapshot, not a live calendar.
Local design and supporting guidance
Recent supplementary guidance matters even though the borough plan was adopted in 2025: the register lists Affordable Housing and Planning Obligations in March 2026, and Biodiversity, Trees, Local Views and Transport in June 2026.
For household changes, use the extensions SPD and relevant village guidance with the 2025 policy text; neither provides a stand-alone permitted-development decision.
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House Extensions and External Alterations SPD
Adopted supplementary guidance. June 2015.
Adopted .
Local household-design guidance listed by the council. Read legacy policy references alongside the 2025 adopted plan and current national rules.
Plan period and recorded dates
- Plan period
- Not verified
- Adopted or made
- Separate effective date
- Not verified
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Affordable Housing SPD
Adopted supplementary guidance. March 2026.
Adopted .
Supporting guidance for affordable housing proposals, separate from the Local Plan itself.
Plan period and recorded dates
- Plan period
- Not verified
- Adopted or made
- Separate effective date
- Not verified
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Biodiversity SPD
Adopted supplementary guidance. June 2026.
Adopted .
Supporting biodiversity guidance; the council also lists a Trees and Development SPD adopted on the same day.
Plan period and recorded dates
- Plan period
- Not verified
- Adopted or made
- Separate effective date
- Not verified
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Village Planning Guidance SPDs
Supporting guidance. Area-specific guidance register.
Select the relevant village, including Richmond and Richmond Hill, Kew, Barnes or Twickenham. These are supplementary guidance documents, not automatically neighbourhood development plans.
Plan period and recorded dates
- Plan period
- Not verified
- Adopted or made
- Exact date not verified
- Separate effective date
- Not verified
Design guidance does not establish that work is permitted development. Check the national rules, planning conditions and any relevant local restrictions.
What to do for your property
- Locate the property on the October 2025 policies map.
- Use the adopted 2024–2039 plan, retaining the council’s version label.
- Check the applicable village and topic guidance.
- For a waste proposal, check both the adopted joint plan and the replacement consultation.
- Confirm current policy wording and any restrictive instrument before committing to design.
Keep the document versions, maps and date of your check with your project notes. A boundary, policy conflict or transition may need assessment by the relevant authority or a suitably qualified planning professional.
Sources, review and changes
These AI-assisted checks cover published document identity, status, dates and links. They do not decide how policy applies to an individual site, and professional planning review has not been completed.
Source-check dates describe when we inspected the source. They do not renew automatically when the website is rebuilt. We link to official documents without claiming a licence over them or republishing them.
Official source register (5 sources)
- Adopted Richmond Local Plan
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. 7 October 2025 adoption; interim adopted text; superseded 2015–18 plan and Twickenham AAP. Checked .
- Local Plan adoption statement (PDF)
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Regulation 26 adoption statement: 7 October 2025. Checked .
- Local Plan preparation timeline
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Historic preparation and examination page linked from adopted-plan register. Checked .
- Richmond SPDs and guidance
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. 2026 affordable housing, obligations, biodiversity, trees, views and transport entries; 2015 extensions SPD. Checked .
- Joint waste plan and live replacement consultation
Ealing Council on behalf of the West London waste planning authorities. 2015 plan; replacement consultation 4 August to 28 September 2026. Checked .
First published . Recorded adopted and emerging documents, source dates and stated gaps.
Report a correction with this page and an official source link.