Chris Caulfield

Work on Surrey Police’s new eastern divisional headquarters in Leatherhead is expected to begin with preparatory activity in September 2026, followed by the main construction phase in February 2027. The facility will accommodate around 500 officers and staff on an unused car park at the Cleeve Road site. Surrey Police left its Reigate base in 2023 after dangerous crumbly concrete was discovered and has since operated temporarily from the former Surrey Fire & Rescue Service headquarters. The project also includes plans for 40 affordable homes, which will be developed separately after redundant buildings are demolished.

Surrey Heath Borough Council unanimously approved revised plans for a 49-bungalow extra-care community on St Catherine’s Road in Frimley. The development, intended for residents aged 65 and over with assessed care needs, will include 24-hour on-site care, landscaped gardens, communal facilities and an expanded Loen House with a lounge, bistro and activities space. Changes to the previously approved scheme increase accessibility through wider staircases, larger floorplans, additional communal space and modifications to roofs, windows and some homes, without increasing the number of bedrooms or occupants.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is considering removing permitted development rights for small houses in multiple occupation, meaning new HMOs for three to six residents would require planning permission. The proposal follows a reported 400% rise in small HMOs, particularly in Redhill and Horley, alongside concerns about parking, waste collection, building standards, noise and antisocial behaviour. Council officials say the measure would not eliminate existing HMOs or prevent new ones, but would provide greater control over their location, design and quality. A consultation is open until 24 September 2026, with the proposed controls potentially taking effect in about 12 months.

A former merchants' building site on Station Road in Chertsey is being redeveloped into 27 affordable flats: 26 two-bedroom homes and one three-bedroom home. The project, delivered by Thakeham for housing association Aster, replaces an earlier plan for private housing and only nine affordable units. Runnymede Borough Council will allocate all the homes to people on its housing waiting list. Demolition has been completed and construction will include three- and four-storey buildings, balconies, parking, green roofs and solar panels. While supporters highlight local affordability and transport links, some residents objected that the design is out of keeping with nearby Victorian houses.

West Surrey Council is expected to consider a motion proposed by Spelthorne councillor Harry Boparai to ask the government to rename it West Surrey and South Middlesex Council. Supporters say the change would recognise Spelthorne’s historic Middlesex identity, while opposition leader Jane Austin argues that the proposal is being advanced without resident consultation and distracts from integrating six councils, preparing for the authority’s April 2027 launch and managing around £4.5 billion of inherited debt. The Liberal Democrat council leader, Paul Follows, says the motion has broad opposition support, but East Surrey Council has no plans to change its name.

A petition to restore Chain Pond near Earlswood Common has surpassed 1,300 signatures after the pond dried up, threatening the habitat associated with Kevin the moorhen and other wildlife. Campaigners blame alleged council neglect and are seeking the inlet’s unblocking, desilting and inspection of the clay liner. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council says the shallow, rain-fed pond is increasingly affected by hotter, drier summers linked to climate change, while noting that it removed silt in February 2025 and checked the inlets. The council says the pond may refill naturally and warns residents not to add tap water because chemicals could harm wildlife.

John Halsall has taken over as South East Water CEO while the company faces hosepipe bans, customer disruption and public anger across southern England. The company received a £76,000 penalty for unauthorized water extraction and a £30.5 million penalty over prolonged supply failures. Halsall says his priorities are improving day-to-day service, strengthening operational resilience, engaging transparently with customers and regulators, and delivering the company’s largest-ever investment programme.

Government commissioners will oversee Woking and Spelthorne as both councils face severe debt, financial instability and commercial risks that could be inherited by the future West Surrey Council. A single commissioner team will coordinate oversight across both authorities and work alongside the new council to assess financial strategy, inherited risks and governance ahead of the 2027 merger. The government warns that special measures will continue and further support may be needed beyond vesting day as multiple Surrey councils prepare to dissolve and form the new unitary authority.

Woking Borough Council is set to vote on a public space protection order granting Surrey Police additional authority to curb street drinking, intimidation, destructive behavior and the use of face coverings intended to cause fear. The proposal follows a consultation in which most respondents supported the measures, citing declines in customers and public discomfort linked to groups engaging in alcohol-related disorder. Officials say the order aims to improve safety and support local businesses, with its impact monitored over a three-year period if approved.

Waverley Borough Council approved a 63‑home development on the edge of Cranleigh due to a severe shortfall in available housing land, despite concerns over flooding and inadequate wastewater infrastructure. Councillors expressed reluctance but acknowledged that rejecting the application would likely lead to a successful appeal and additional costs. The scheme includes 19 affordable homes, and developers argued it offers accessible housing outside the green belt at a time when the council’s land supply stands at only 1.28 years.

Surrey recorded 1,551 vehicle thefts in 2025, with only 34 cases resulting in charges as most suspects were never identified. MP Helen Maguire criticised the government for underfunding policing and failing to deter offenders. The Home Office highlighted forthcoming reforms and new powers under the Crime and Policing Act 2026, including penalties for possessing signal jammers. Surrey Police cited organised crime groups, major road access and increasingly sophisticated methods as key challenges while emphasising ongoing intelligence‑led operations with regional partners.

Mole Valley District Council approved retrospective planning permission for emergency repairs to a deteriorating sixth chimney at the Grade II* listed Pippbrook House in Dorking. The chimney was dismantled and rebuilt after structural issues were discovered during wider restoration works, part of a £1.6 million project to secure the building’s long-term use. Heritage officers supported the decision, stating that the minimal loss of historic material was outweighed by safety and preservation needs. Councillor Simon Budd commended the quality of the renovation work during a recent visit.

The prolonged closure of Redhill’s Harlequin Theatre due to unsafe RAAC concrete has passed 1,000 days, prompting renewed calls for transparency and a reopening timeline. An open letter backed by local groups and public figures highlights an estimated £2.5 million loss to nearby businesses and urges the council to publish key milestones and explanations for delays. Council leaders maintain that the repair project is complex, citing additional required work and ongoing contractor negotiations, with construction expected to begin in November pending tender approval. £7.5 million has been allocated to the project, including funding for maintenance and system replacements.