Elmbridge Council (EBC) approved in June an application by Network Rail to extend the platforms at Oxshott station - and also those at Hinchley Wood, Claygate and Cobham - by around 160ft/49m (application no 2011/5366). This is to enable South West Trains to run 10-coach trains on the line. Completion of the work is scheduled for the end of 2013, but there is some doubt over whether we will see longer trains by then.
SWT's suburban trains are all four-coach units and the company has not yet decided how it will extend its trains. The options are: buying new stock, adding extra coaches (new or secondhand) to existing trains, or buying Southern's cramped class 456 two-car units. Given that the time from placing an order for new rolling stock to its entry into service is about four years, the platforms may well be ready before the longer trains are.
The platform extensions will be at the country (car park) end of the station, which ought not to create too much disruption to residents or station users. Planning approval states that "work which is audible beyond the site boundary", and also deliveries, should be carried out only between 08.00 and 18.00 Monday-Friday and between 08.00 and 13.00 on Saturdays; no work should take place on Sundays or bank holidays. However, elsewhere, the council notes that "it may be necessary for the works to be conducted at more unsociable hours when trains are not running".