Infrastructure Delivery Plan (Feb 2013) - Runnymede Borough Council

Runnymede Borough Councils Sustainable Community Strategy (2012)
2.11 The Council’s SCS has directed that the Local Plan brings forward policies that provide
for the regeneration of Addlestone, Chertsey, Egham, Virginia Water, and the
development of the former DERA site. In terms of the redevelopment of the former
DERA site, it states that the site provides a unique opportunity to provide a mixed use
community with:
Spatial Context
• headquarter development for a global high-tech enterprise;
• a new sustainable ‘village’ with homes of varying size and tenure which meet
the housing needs of the Borough; and,
• modern sustainable infrastructure as well as a site of major employment
opportunity.
2.12 Runnymede is located in north-west Surrey, some twenty miles south-west of Central
London in the South East Region. Covering an area of some 7804 hectares, its
northern and eastern boundaries are formed by the River Thames and River Wey.
Three bridges at various points across the Thames and two motorway bridges connect
the Borough to Staines, Chertsey, and Weybridge. Nearby towns in adjoining Boroughs
include Staines, Weybridge, Windsor, Woking, and Camberley.
2.13 The west of the Borough is mainly rural in character whilst the main urban centres of
Egham, Chertsey, and Addlestone are situated in its eastern half. There are also a
number of smaller settlements including Virginia Water, Woodham, New Haw,
Ottershaw, Row Town, and Englefield Green. Runnymede is situated within the London
Green Belt, and Green Belt covers about 78% of the total area.
Population
2.14 Between 1991 and 2001 there was a population growth rate of 5% in the Borough,
mainly due to net inward migration rather than natural increase. At the time of the 2001
Census, there were 31,686 households in the Borough, accommodating a population of
78,033.
2.15 Surrey's population (and Runnymede’s as a Borough) is projected to continue to rise,
with notable increases in the number of older people. Specifically, the 2010 National
Population projections (Office for National Statistics) estimate that the population of
Runnymede will reach some 98,000 people by the end of the plan period.
Figure 1-Population of Surrey boroughs at the time of the 2001 and 2011 censuses
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Runnymede IDP DRAFT – February 2013