A 10-year programme to bring a vibrant urban quarter, a renovated shopping centre, a simplified road system and a new riverside park to Leatherhead that could cost about £200 million has been approved by councillors.
Mole Valley District Councillors approved the final masterplan for the Transform Leatherhead project at a meeting of the executive on Wednesday, July 19.
From June 2015: What do you think needs to be done to transform Leatherhead?
From Janurary 2016: Extra exhibition added due to massive interest in project to Transform Leatherhead
Nearly 3,000 people and groups including Leatherhead Residents’ Association, local businesses, the Chamber of Commerce and local charities voiced their opinions as part of a “massive consultation exercise” over the course of a year.
The project includes plans to create a new urban quarter at Bull Hill and Red House Gardens, renovate the Swan Centre and create a riverside park near Claire and James House in Bridge Street.
Nick Gray, the deputy chief executive of the council’s strategic management team, said the project could last about ten years, could cost about £200m.
He added that its success would depend on funding bids approved by Coast to Capital local enterprise partnership – a partnership between local authorities and businesses in south London, Surrey and Sussex.
From April: Mole Valley District Council buys Swan Centre ahead of plans to Transform Leatherhead
Councillors gave the project the green light, but warned that the framework of the plans would need to be updated in due course.
Cllr Margaret Cooksey (pictured above) was concerned at the lack of measures addressing traffic, disabled accessibility and sports, and the flood risk arising from developments on the banks of the River Mole.
She said: “If a lot of money is going to be spent on it, the issue of flooding needs to be dealt with very early.”
“And if we are going to be encouraging more people to get in and out of the town centre, (addressing traffic issues) is pretty crucial.”
She added: “Other things need to be addressed before it is accepted. Otherwise we are throwing away a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform Leatherhead.”
But council leader Vivienne Michael assured councillors that the masterplan was a “framework” and other issues would be addressed later on.
“There is a lot of detailed work to come,” she said.
Cllr Stephen Cooksey (pictured above) was concerned the amount of work required to carry out the Transform Leatherhead project might overwhelm council officers.
“The Meadowbank project (to improve facilities in Dorking) showed us what a significant amount of work (this will be) for a relatively small core of officers in Mole Valley,” he said.
“The projects which are put forward in this plan will quite honestly dwarf the amount of work for Meadowbank.”
But Cllr Howard Jones (pictured above) assured him that the council would “bring in external talent as and when we need it”.
What do you think? Get in touch at craig.richard@london.newsquest.co.uk
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