New Skate Park Proposed for Cranleigh

Published on: 11 Jul, 2025
Updated on: 11 Jul, 2025

Cranleigh Leisure Centre. Google

By Chris Caulfield

local democracy reporter

Cranleigh could get a new skate park after Waverley Borough Council’s Executive Committee backed spending more than £600,000 to replace the existing “well used” site.

In March 2025, planning permission was granted to replace Cranleigh Leisure Centre – but the proposals necessitated the removal of the town’s skate park leading to an uncertain future for fans of kick-flips, ollies and grinds.

Now, following Executive Committee meeting on July 7, community infrastructure money will be used to buy land and build a new skate park.

Details were still being kept private but the council has said the land owner is willing to sell and that there are no significant areas of concern over the deal. In the village, the the site in question is said to be a site owned by Cranleigh Village Hospital Trust, off Knowle Lane.

Cllr Liz Townsend

Addressing the meeting was Cllr Liz Townsend (Lib Dem, Cranleigh West), portfolio holder for Planning and Economic Development.

She said it would be a much needed addition to Cranleigh’s recreational and leisure facilities at a time of continued local growth and development.

Cllr Townsend added: “This is a long anticipated and very welcome development.

“The existing facility has clearly reached the end of its useful life and this new project allows us to reimagine the new space offering a far more versatile and inclusive facility, suited to a wide range of users, now and in the years ahead.

“While skate parks are often associated with children and young people they are increasingly appealing to a broader demographic including older users who have taken up the sport later in life.

“This makes the skate park not just a recreational facility but a shared community asset.”

Cranleigh, the meeting heard, has experienced significant expansion in recent years and with that comes the responsibility of ensuring infrastructure keeps pace – particularly when it comes to support health wellbeing and community cohesion.

Cllr Townsend said: “This new skate park represents a timely and thoughtful response to those evolving needs.”

A budget of £647,125 has been recommended to get the new skate park in Cranleigh off the ground – with the funding coming from developer contributions in the form of Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) money.

The CIL funding had been allocated in March but until the time contracts are signed and money exchanged will remain on the council’s balance sheet.

Cllr Jane Austin

Jane Austin, (Con, Bramley & Wonersh), leader of the opposition at Waverley Borough Council, commented: “It’s a positive move to learn the much loved skate park will be replaced – but where?

“It’s a concern that it appears Cranleigh Parish Council have not been advised of any deal or consulted on a proposed location to date. Surely as they have the key vested interest in Cranleigh and its services they should have been?

“The parish council has also not been consulted on use – a Cranleigh primary school parent I know a number of parents think a pump track may be a better proposition going forwards.

“This money will come from £176,503 s106 funding and £470,622 of the limited CIL funds allocated this year. A further £11 million CIL remains unallocated by Waverley – money which we urgently need to be allocated for infrastructure.”