What next for the regeneration of a Surrey estate?

New flats have been built in Sheerwater, but other buildings remain undeveloped.

It was supposed to be a regeneration project transforming an estate with some of the highest levels of poverty and deprivation in Surrey.

But when Woking Borough Council (WBC) declared itself effectively bankrupt in 2023, it meant that a scheme for more than 1,100 new homes at Sheerwater could not be completed and was left largely in limbo.

Residents have told the BBC that much of the area remains an "eyesore", and that problems include fly tipping and squatters.

The council said: "We have received reports of unauthorised access to the site. We recently re-entered all vacant building to assess their condition, re-secure them and identify any additional security measures required."

A council spokesperson added that it was "imperative" residents did not enter derelict properties on the site and any suspicious activity should be reported to the police or council.

"We are exploring interim measures, such as additional boarding, to secure the site and improve the appearance of the area while we await the start of the redevelopment works," they added.

The council said that three plots of land were being sold to a private developer, with the aim to have contracts signed by the end of the year, while other empty homes are being refurbished to bring them back into use.

Steve Wilson says he has lived in Sheerwater for around 30 years.

The original scheme, costing £450m, was supposed to mean hundreds of new homes, shops and a medical centre, with the company ThamesWey Developments Limited appointed to spearhead it in 2017, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But Steve Wilson, who has lived in Sheerwater for around 30 years, told BBC Radio Surrey that most of the homes boarded up for demolition were still there, and described the area as "messy" and "an eyesore" with rubbish being "dumped everywhere."

"You've got these beautiful new flats down the end there, however you've then got the old derelict (buildings), so it's kind of within 50 yards, it's like two different villages almost," he said.

He added that he believes a lot of Sheerwater "could have been regenerated, as is, from day one".

Ann-Marie Barker is the leader of Woking Borough Council

The Liberal Democrat leader of WBC, Ann-Marie Barker, said that, although it had been "over conceived," the project has "delivered quite a lot already for Sheerwater".

She said improvements include new affordable homes, a leisure centre and sports pitches.

Councillor Barker also said new shops are opening, and that so far around 30 empty properties have been refurbished to provide homes for people.

She said: "The programme hasn't stopped, it's just we had to do it a bit differently, so we've now agreed to sell the land that hasn't been developed to date to a developer, to a house builder, to sell and we're hoping the contracts will complete on that by the end of the year."

There are buildings in Sheerwater which remain empty and fenced off

Councillor Barker added that it is "not an ideal situation", and the council "completely understand where residents are on this".

She said the problems with fly tipping could have been avoided if properties had not been made empty "much too early" at the start of the regeneration project.