Jan Sharman (left) and Christine Peters Outside Redhill Station Entrance Photo: Emily Dalton

By Emily Dalton

local democracy reporter

Plans for the “tallest building in Redhill” have been met with staunch local opposition as over 1,900 letters objecting to the application have been received.

The scheme, proposed by developer Solum Regeneration, is likely to trigger memories of the same consortium’s plan, unanimously rejected by Guidford Borough Council, to build high-rise buildings at Guildford Station labelled the “Great Wall of Guildford” by its detractors.

The Redhill proposal would see two tower blocks of 255 homes built on the car park next to the train station. One of the apartment blocks would range from 10-15 storeys, and the other between 7-14 storeys.

“They want to make it a landmark building but we think it’s an ugly blot on the land,” said Jan Sharman, a member of East Redhill Residents’ Association (ERRA). The group, started in the 1990s, aims to make people proud to call Redhill home.

“We don’t want it to be another Woking,” Jan said, referring to the town’s high-rise tower blocks. The residents’ association argues the project will “greenlight” developers to build as tall as they can, creating a snowball effect in the area as apartment blocks get higher and higher.

But developers say their aim of the project is to “transform Redhill Station area into an appealing new gateway building” for the town.

However ERRA claims Solum, is arguing the same station apartment block plan might work in parts of London but that it won’t work in Redhill. “We’re out of London- we’re not a high-rise urban area,” said Christine Peters, another ERRA member.

Solum Regeneration is a public-private partnership between Network Rail and Kier Property claims it aims to “make best use of publicly owned land around the railway network”. It also has projects  in Epsom, recently in Walton-on Thames as well as the one currently under construction in Guildford.

Labelling the development as “short-sighted”, Jan claims Reigate and Banstead Council (RBC) do not have a vision for Redhill in the next 50 years. “It’s like they are in panic mode to [pass] through houses,” Christine said. The pair said Redhill needs sympathetic structures to enhance the town, rather than a high-rise building of flats.

Under the proposals, nearly half of the homes will be one-bedroom apartments (122), with a further 18 studio apartments in the mix. But the ERRA argue the “overabundance” of one-bedroom flats and the perceived under supply of family houses in the area will mean people only living in Redhill for a short time, making the town centre population more transient.

Solum said it is “exploring” the way to deliver affordable housing in the scheme, such as a grant from Homes England. Currently, none of the 255 flats will be sold for below market value as application documents detail it is not financially viable.

A council spokesperson said: “RBC has a long-held published vision for Redhill to be a ‘thriving town centre which is a prominent commercial location, a competitive retail destination and a great place to live. This vision includes providing more town centre retail and leisure floor space, more commercial space enhancing Redhill as a commercial destination, creation of new jobs and new town centre housing.”

RBC said it has included Redhill station as a potential site for a mixed-use scheme to include new homes in its Development Management Plan, approved in 2019. The plan also included draft versions of a Redhill Town centre regeneration strategy from 2012. With no decision date published yet, the application is due to be sent to RBC planning committee later in 2024.

Traffic and travel issues

ERRA say they are “not NIMBYs”  as they understand development around the station needs to happen. But they argue Solum is not investing in the community by upgrading the train or bus station, or improving the underpasses around Redhill station.

Solum states it is investing around £6 million into the station building to improve the customer experience with a new station entrance, retail space for shopping and a remodelled forecourt. Plans also include developers improving the public area around the station, such as the steps from Redstone Hill, CCTV on the footpath to Marketfield Way and new shared cycleways.

As the proposed flats will neighbour the train and bus station, Solum said it wants to promote active travel including cycling and walking rather than cars. They claim over 40 per cent of people living in Redhill Town Centre already live without a car.

With around 25 parking spaces for flat owners, Jan and Christine argue the developers have an “idealistic approach” to how much cars are needed in Surrey. Locals opposing the scheme say flat owners will have to park on the pavement or on residential roads around the town centre.

Campaigners also raised concerns that the proposed development will increase congestion around the station by the A25, Princess Way and Marketfield Way. They said due to the traffic, the “already dangerous corner” around Carrington School would get worse for children crossing the road.

Solum response

Solum said the appearance and height of the scheme has evolved positively following review of responses from the local community and close consultation with planning, conservation and design officers at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. This includes a reduction from 19 to 15 storeys.

Tim Shaw, Senior Development Director at Kier Property said: “As a publicly owned company, Network Rail has a long-term interest and presence in the future of Redhill and its station.

“The aim of the project is to transform Redhill Station area into an appealing new gateway building for the town which will be modern, clean and easier to use and access. Our scheme supports the wider regeneration of the area, will help attract and retain businesses and visitors to the area and bring significant new investment.

“In this town centre site, we are proposing 255 highly sustainable homes which will fully fund the necessary and long overdue infrastructure upgrade works needed. This is a brownfield site, and our scheme will help deliver the new homes the borough needs while protecting valuable Green Belt sites nearby.

“By providing these homes here instead of at the edge of town, we estimate this scheme will remove 5,400 miles of car travel from the local road network every day, and our future residents will of course be supporting town centre businesses close to their home.”