Redhill: Housing plans on former gas site rejected by councillors

Reigate and Banstead councillors have rejected housing plans for a former gas site in Hooley Lane, Redhill

Plans to build 70 homes on a former gas holder site in Surrey have been criticised for their design and rejected by councillors.

The plans had "scant regard" for the area, a meeting heard.

Developers hoped to turn the Hooley Lane plot, in Redhill, into a mixture of homes and flats.

Despite being recommended for approval by officers, developers could not convince Reigate and Banstead councillors.

Developers wanted to build 12 three-bed houses, 42 two-beds and 16 one-bed apartments, of which 21 would have been classed as affordable, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

At a planning committee meeting on 11 January, planning officers said the plans would have brought "a meaningful contribution to the borough".

They added the project would bring economic benefits to the area with significant contributions towards local infrastructure through the community infrastructure levy - a charge developers pay which is spent on local projects.

Of the 70 homes, 21 would have been affordable

Ahead of the meeting, councillors conducted their own visits to the site.

Councillor Zelanie Cooper said the street scene would be "significantly changed".

"There's no doubt this is an improvement on the gas works but there's been no work to put in anything cosmetic".

She added: "You are going to end up with a block of very rectangular housing opposite some turn of the century housing which will change things significantly".

Councillor Jill Bray said: "I think there has been a lot of work that has been done to make them blend in, but when it came to designing the houses I think everyone went out to lunch, as I don't think they are a particularly nice design."

She added they were made quickly with "scant regard" for housing stock in the area.

Councillors voted against the plans eight to six.

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