You can help “shape the future direction of the borough” after councillors approved opening a consultation into a new growth and development strategy in Kingston.

The Direction of Travel, a growth strategy document considering “areas of opportunity” to be outlined in the council’s next London Plan, was presented to the Growth Committee at the Guildhall on Thursday.

A public consultation will open in the coming weeks, with councillors expected to present the results at the next committee meeting in September.

Thursday, February 25: APPROVED: 16 storey development on the old post office site in Kingston passed by councillors

Wednesday, March 2: Toby Jug: Councillors decide to approve or deny outline planning permission to build 700 homes in Tolworth

Friday, March 18: Tenants' fear over plans to rebuild Cambridge Road estate as London mayor Boris Johnson offers council share of £200m

In the document, council leader Kevin Davis said: “Growth must happen in the right way, in the right places. New opportunities need to be considered in the context of the borough and its residents.

“All of us working together can provide the homes and jobs future generations need.”

The proposal was jointly prepared by the council and officers from the Greater London Authority and Transport for London to help identify areas for development, with Kingston facing a projected population rise of 55,000 people by 2050.

Areas of “immediate opportunities for growth” were identified as Kingston town centre, New Malden, Tolworth and the Cambridge Road estate.

Kingston Council was given £46.2m by former London mayor Boris Johnson in April to redevelop the Cambridge Road estate, while a planning application is set to be presented to the council next week for the building of more than 700 homes on Tolworth’s Toby Jug site.

Chessington was named as a potential long term area, though Cllr Davis told the committee “it is not our intention to build on the green belt”.

But some councillors and residents criticised the upcoming consultation, saying that such an “important” document should not be consulted over the summer holidays.

Cllr Malcolm Self said: “I don’t believe consultations over the schools holidays is a good idea. Is this really good public consultation? We want people to come back and make responses.”

Chair of the committee David Cunningham said: “This document is what it says on the tin, It’s a document of travel, it’s not a final document.

“I don’t think we’ve anything to apologise over the amount of consultations that will go on over the next year.”

Caroline Cheales, of Villiers Avenue, said: “If you think the problem’s a nail, you reach for a hammer. It’s very focused on infrastructure, it’s very focused on development.

“It really feels like a 1950s thing that has been scrubbed up and given a bit of paint.”