Councillors Disagree Over Godalming High Street Redevelopment Approval

Published on: 29 Aug, 2024
Updated on: 31 Aug, 2024

Waverley Borough Council will refit the vacant store to get it ready for a restaurant with space at the rear for social housing. Image Waverley Borough Council

By Chris Caulfield

local democracy reporter

A vacant site that “contributes nothing to the high street” will be transformed into a restaurant to bring much needed footfall to a Surrey town centre – although some critics have labelled it a £4.5 million ego project.

The former M&Co site in Godalming High Street has been vacant since the store’s closure and in 2022 was bought by Waverley Borough Council (WBC) as part of plans to convert the site into a restaurant with social housing at the back.

Last week the council’s planning committee approved the first part of those plans – to demolish part of the empty shop originally purpose-built for Woolworths and get it ready to function as a restaurant.

Planning officers told the meeting: “The site has been vacant for some time and contributes nothing to the vitality and viability of Godalming High Street.”

The building has suffered from the dual pressures facing many UK high streets: online shopping and the lack of demand for larger store sizes, they added.

How a redeveloped shop front might look. Image Waverley Borough Council

Once refitted, the building will be taken over by Loungers UK –  giving people the opportunity to have coffee, a working lunch or “a tipple after work”.

Cllr Paul Follows

Cllr Paul Follows (Lib Dem), speaking as ward councillor for Godalming South, Milford & Witley, said he was standing in support of the site as it would help make Godalming a more attractive place to visit.

Cllr Jacquie Keen (Lib Dem, Haslemere West)) added: “It will draw people back into Godalming. It’s something the town centre needs.

Cllr Jacqueline Keen

“It’s going to be a jolly good development.”

The rear of the site will also be cleared and made ready for the council to build and manage social and affordable housing,

Waverley Borough Council said it stepped in to purchase the prominent town centre location to drive forward redevelopment, attract new investment, and build much needed homes.

The plans were passed unanimously by the committee but that didn’t stop some from raising concerns about how the project has been handled.

Cllr Jane Austin

Cllr Jane Austin (Bramley & Wonersh), leader of the opposition Conservative group on Waverley Borough Council, who told The Dragon she is a former chartered surveyor who specialised in retail and mixed use investment and agency, was critical: “This investment is a money pit. They’ve spent £4.5 million, and counting, and that is before they even get started on the residential element behind.

“It will be three years plus from purchase of this building before the retail tenant is in and trading – in the meantime it has sat vacant and accruing vacancy costs.

“This is a classic example of an ego project by the leader – where good financial sense has gone out of the window and the rejuvenation of the High Street is used as an excuse.

“Spending £4.5 million on one building is not how to do what is best for the whole high street.

“A commercial landlord would have had a tenant in and trading quite literally years ago.”

In response, Cllr Follows, as leader of Waverley Borough Council, and Cllr Mark Merryweather (Lib Dem, Farnham Moor Park), portfolio holder for finance, assets and property,  issued a joint statement.

The statement said: “Sadly we are aware of some of the misinformation being circulated about the 69 High Street project, largely for party political point scoring which started before the general election and which we expect to continue as the Surrey County Council elections approach in 2025.

Cllr Mark Merryweather

“69 High Street is not just a building but a whole development site, which was acquired by Waverley Borough Council with planning permission for six houses, two large apartments and 4,650 square foot leisure retail, since when we’ve been working to improve both the leisure and residential elements to better suit our residents’ needs.

“For logistical reasons the development will be delivered in two phases and we’re thrilled that Loungers will be opening next year, when we’ll be working on our priority – the much needed social housing on the bulk of the site.

“The delivery of good quality housing for all income levels and age groups is one of our strategic priorities.  But so is financial sustainability, and we’ve consistently demonstrated that the project will not only pay for itself but actually make a positive contribution to the council’s finances, even despite the rampant inflation that’s affected the whole economy over recent years and depressed residual land values.

“We also operate to very high planning and procurement standards which we know can appear to be frustratingly slow even though they’re there for good reason.

“69 High Street is a great example of this council delivering what it was elected to do by its residents.”

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