Esher
| Station Name | Esher |
| Station Code | ESH |
| Station Owner | South Western Railway |
| Developable Area | 22.47ha |
| Development Capacity | 1,685 homes (at 75dph) |
| Local Planning Authority | Elmbridge |
| 2021 Housing Delivery Test - Homes Required | 1,618 |
| 2021 Housing Delivery Test - Homes Delivered | 1,133 |
| 2021 Housing Delivery Test - Score | 70% |
| 2021 Housing Delivery Test - Consequence | Presumption |
| Green Belt | London |
| Green Belt Area | 22.47ha ( 100% of the potential development area) |
| Network Rail Region | South East |
| Network Rail Sub-Region | Surrey, East and West Sussex |
| Passengers, 2020 - 2021 | 170,856 |
| Passengers, 2019 - 2020 | 1,076,888 |
| UK Station Passenger Rank (Use) | 708 |
Development Potential
England's busiest station (apart from those serving airports) had 4,170,558 passenger movements in the period 2019-2020. The station with the least was 68. Esher station had 1,076,888 passengers enter or exit it during this period. That's roughly 2,958 people per day.
For a station with this number of passengers passing through it each year a density of 75 homes per hectare is reasonable, based on its proximity to major population centres and existing infrastructure.
Esher is located within the South East railway region. The potential area for development around the station (excluding existing buildings, national parks, flood zones, public green space, protected habitats, areas of outstanding natural beauty, world heritage sites and surface water) is approximately 22.47ha.
Assuming an appropriate (but not prevailing) development density of 75 dwellings per hectare, this area has a development capacity of around 1,685 homes.
The station sits within Elmbridge planning authority, which in 2021 achieved a Housing Delivery Test Score of 70%, having delivered 1,133 homes from a target of 1,618. As a result of this score, the authority is subject to a 'presumption in favour of sustainable development', according to the NPPF.
The total capacity of all Elmbridge's stations is 8,954 homes. That's 553% of its total 2021 Housing Delivery Test requirement.
Taking green belt into account, the capacity of Elmbridge's stations is 0 homes without building on protected land. That's 0% of its total 2021 Housing Delivery Test requirement.
