Riverside Walk

HighStreet
St James


In partnership with Surrey County Council, Coast to Capital, The Environment Agency and a number of other partners Leatherhead is being transformed into a modern market town where people of all ages can shop, eat, relax and have fun by the riverside.



Watch the Video!





RETAIL & LEISURE QUARTER

CHURCH STREET PUBLIC REALM
The £1 million scheme to make significant improvements to the public realm in Church Street was completed in November 2017.

The scheme was delivered by a partnership between MVDC, Surrey County Council (SCC) and Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (C2C LEP).

THE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED
  • upgrading all the pavements and carriageways with a mix of York stone and granite
  • upgrading drainage
  • planting new trees
  • installing new street furniture

One of the objectives of the scheme is to provide a better environment for all the businesses in Church Street, including the newly arrived Waitrose store and the long established Leatherhead Theatre. To celebrate the history of the Theatre, the Leatherhead Residents’ Association and the Fire and Iron Gallery enabled five commemorative stones to be laid recognising some of the most lauded performers from the Theatre’s history, including Sir Michael Caine and Richard Briers. Since completion, Church Street has hosted Halloween, Christmas and Easter celebrations.






REDEVELOPED SWAN CENTRE
AIM: Revitalise the Swan Centre to create an attractive shopping experience. Its retail, food and leisure offering will meet the needs of the community and attract businesses and visitors to the town.
SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES

Completed:

  • Refurbished toilets with a dedicated baby changing facility
  • More user-friendly car park with improved ramps and wider spaces
  • Electric vehicle charging points
  • Passenger and goods lift replacement

Upcoming:

  • Fresh signage
  • New mobile pop up shop units

Keep up to date with works progress here ››

LONG TERM WORKS

Retail experts Cushman and Wakefield have developed a Master Plan for the long-term development of the Swan Centre, to act as a catalyst to revitalise the High Street.

Read the full report here ››

We are now procuring a partner to redevelop the Swan Centre according to this plan. This will create a local destination with:

  • Boutique cinema
  • Smaller more affordable units for start-up and scale-up businesses
  • Open, improved market space
  • Residential and office space
  • Hotel
  • More car parking
  • Rooftop vineyard or garden




High Street
HIGH STREET
AIM: To re-establish the High Street as a focal place for events and activity, attracting business and revitalising the town centre shopping and leisure experience in a space that’s green, clean and safe.
IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS

A public consultation took place in July 2019 to improve the High Street. The suggested proposals had been developed following discussions with key stakeholders.

View the consultation boards and plans here ››

A vital, prosperous High Street that can easily facilitate events is one of Transform Leatherhead’s key objectives. The High Street Improvement Proposals aim to address these objectives.

There were just under 300 respondents to our consultation, over 90% of which were residents, employees and business owners within Leatherhead, Ashtead and Fetcham and the rest nearby neighbours.

The options consulted upon were developed through the High Street Improvement study and engagement with a wide range of key stakeholders, including local businesses, residents, access groups and Surrey County Council.

CONSULTATION OUTCOMES
  • Support for extending the pedestrian zone to include Sundays
  • Support for making the High Street safer and improving air quality by limiting or removing parking except for loading and those who are disabled
  • Positive response to replacing the accessibility ramp with a more flexible but still accessible public space
  • Support for using the same high quality materials as Church Street
  • Mixed views of continued cycling on the High Street
  • Around 85% of responses supported more planting and seating areas
  • Strong support for improving the sense of place and giving it a positive identity
NEXT STEPS
  • October 2019 onwards we will continue discussing proposals with local businesses and Surrey County Council. Engagement to be undertaken with High Street users that have additional parking needs i.e. Blue Badge permits holders
  • November 2019 Consultation with key stakeholders, experts and local people will inform Mole Valley District Council’s decision on whether to support the inclusion of proposals to improve Leatherhead High Street as part of Surrey County Council’s 2019 parking review. This would enable Mole Valley Local Committee to consider the proposals at its next meeting which is now to be held on 22nd of January 2020

View the full report ››



RIVERSIDE QUARTER
CLAIRE HOUSE AND JAMES HOUSE REDEVELOPMENT
AIM: Create a landmark mixed-use riverside property that improves the gateway to the town, enhancing activity on the riverside and bringing in footfall.
PROGRESS

In June 2018 the outline plan was approved for a landmark building replacing the old office blocks. The plan included proposals for:

  • a café and riverside community space on the ground floor
  • 35 much-needed homes including affordable units
  • improvements to the car park
  • the first phase of the Riverside Park
  • Car parking accommodated at the rear

For full details please view the application via the MVDC Planning Application Portal www.molevalley.gov.uk/planningsearch ›› using reference MO/2018/1983.

NEXT STEPS
  • Announcement of development partner (Target winter 2019)
  • Detailed planning consent application (Target autumn 2020)

Keep up to date with works progress here ››





Riverside
RIVERSIDE PARK
AIM: Create a new Riverside Park that will enhance the riverside area and attract visitors to visit and spend time in the town centre.
PROPOSED LAND USES
  • A decked viewing point
  • A pedestrian footbridge
  • Natural play areas
  • Pedestrian friendly environment

The first phase of the Riverside Park will begin as part of the Claire House and James House redevelopment. For full details please view the application via the MVDC Planning Application Portal www.molevalley.gov.uk/planningsearch using reference MO/2018/1983.






Riverside
FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME
  • The River Mole has experienced significant flooding in 1968, 2000 and most recently in 2013/14 when over 300 properties were flooded
  • After 2013 the Environment Agency identified the need to develop a flood alleviation scheme across the Middle River Mole to replicate existing schemes in place in both the Upper and Lower River Mole
  • Leatherhead/ Fetcham has been identified as a priority
  • Funding was obtained in 2014/15 to develop an initial high level options appraisal as well as undertaking updated modelling to incorporate the 2013/14 flood information
  • The Environment Agency is exploring an integrated solution to reduce the risk of river and surface water flooding in Fetcham working in partnership with MVDC, Surrey County Council, Thames Water and Sutton East Surrey Water
  • A temporary defence deployment plan is operational and will provide localised flood defences properties in Minchin Close and the lower parts of Emlyn Lane
NEXT STEPS

The current preferred way forward from the Environment Agency is to reduce the impacts of both river and surface water flooding in this area by a property level flood resilience scheme. Property level flood resilience offers more benefits to properties than the other options considered. They are in the process of working to deliver this scheme with affected residents.

Find out more ››


URBAN QUARTER
TRANSPORT

AIM: Improve connectivity for traffic, pedestrians and cyclists in and around Leatherhead.
THE LEATHERHEAD HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT
PACKAGE PHASE 1
  • A bespoke traffic model was created by transport consultants WSP to test the effect of potential changes to the town centre gyratory and wider road network. Gyratory changes that indicated they will ease congestion and improve access were shortlisted
  • Traffic and car park data was collected in 2018
  • Model and options tested in early 2019

SHORTLISTED OPTIONS
Map showing key of shortlisted options

A Reconfigure Leret Way/North Street/Bull Hill junction to provide signalised pedestrian/cyclist crossing.

B Remove pedestrian crossing on Station Road (as there will now be a new pedestrian/cyclist crossing as indicated above).

C Make an access only section on North Street for buses & deliveries.

D Close Bull Hill from Kingston Road to Leret Way junction.

E Create new one-way southbound link road from Randalls Road to Station Road.

F Station Road and Leret Way more likely to be used by local traffic. Introduce an improved sustainable route.

G Assess the impact of introducing two-way traffic on the gyratory.


NEXT STEPS
  • Undertake Phase 2: Detailed Feasibility Study. This will analyse the shortlisted options considering pedestrian and cycling connections, public realm and highway safety
  • Surrey County Council will work with external partners to investigate potential solutions and funding opportunities to improve the Strategic (Jct 9 M25) and Major Road Network (A24/A243)



SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

The proposed Randalls Road cycle path intended to provide sustainable transport links has had to be stopped because:

PROPOSED UPGRADES

Following detailed modelling by Surrey County Council, the scheme did not reach the level eligible for funding from Coast to Capital LEP and:

  • Private landowners had concerns about granting public access rights across their land between Springfield Drive business park and Cleeve Road
  • There were design issues as a result of insufficient space along Waterway Road from the town centre to the Leisure Centre

Alternative options for sustainable transport improvements are currently being investigated in line with the Transport Study traffic modelling (see below) and the development opportunities within Leatherhead Town Centre as part of Transform Leatherhead. These options will require various funding mechanisms which will form part of any business case.





BULL HILL/RED HOUSE GARDENS
AIM: Redevelop the land within the existing one-way system known as Red House Gardens or Bull Hill to create a new mix-use development to complement the Retail and Leisure Quarter.
MASTERPLAN CONCEPT

The current Bull Hill make up is of office space, car parks and open space.

The original Masterplan idea was to create a ‘retail core extension’ - retail uses in the southeast corner of the Bull Hill site providing a continuation and link in to the retail uses within the town centre core.

Following the Swan Centre and transport studies it is proposed to move to a different mix of uses.

POTENTIAL NEW USES
  • Community Space
  • Open Space
  • Employment
  • Housing
  • Multi-storey Car Park
  • Footpaths & Cycle Paths


Bull Hill Park

Bull Hill Park



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"Excellent proposals, particular freeing up space for the North Street plaza and discouraging traffic through the Station Road, North Steet and Bridge Street loop."



"Please go for the best options available, even if the costs are higher."




"As a Leatherhead Resident I am really excited by the proposals that are being put forward to transform the town. I hope that any new developments will fully incorporate and embrace the historical market town aspect of Leatherhead and emphasise some of the beautiful existing buildings."






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