Police division in Raac alert to get bespoke base

Surrey Police has had to move out of its Reigate base

A police division that moved to a temporary base after unstable concrete was found in its building is to have a bespoke, permanent headquarters in Leatherhead.

Surrey Police said the plan to move its Eastern Divisional Headquarters was approved last week.

The division has operated from a base at Wray Park since April in a two-year temporary move, after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found at Reigate police station.

Mole Valley District Council welcomed plans for the development but said any proposals remained subject to planning permission.

'Boost to town'

Chief Constable Tim De Meyer said having an operational base in the heart of east Surrey showed a commitment to “maintain a visible policing presence in the communities we serve”.

Councillor Paul Kennedy, cabinet member for internal services and security, said: “With the addition of an HQ and around 400 members of staff comes the promise of a boost in footfall into the town centre and a positive impact on the local economy."

Police and crime commissioner Lisa Townsend said she believed it was the "best option" and reassured people in Reigate and Banstead the neighbourhood police presence in their communities would not be affected by the plan.

Surrey Police had bought the Leatherhead site - the former Electrical Research Association and Cobham Industries site in Cleeve Road – in 2018, with plans for a new force headquarters there.

However, a review in 2021 led to a decision to keep Surrey Police headquarters at Mount Browne in Guildford.

The Leatherhead site went on the commercial property market last year, but part of the site will now be retained so the new divisional headquarters can be built there.