The Leret Partnership commits to revisions to town centre scheme

The Leret Partnership, a joint venture between Kier Property and Mole Valley District Council (MVDC), conducted a broad and comprehensive consultation with the public between July and September to gather feedback on initial proposals for the redevelopment of the Swan Centre and Bull Hill. This consultation marked an important step in the engagement with the local community and provided an opportunity for residents and businesses to learn more about the project, meet the project team, and share their views on early design.

In addition to in-person public exhibitions, The Leret Partnership hosted a live webinar and organised pop-up events in Fetcham, Bookham and Ashtead to ensure accessibility for those unable to attend the main exhibitions. The project team has also been working closely with the Community Design Review Panel, which includes representatives from local stakeholder groups, to hear from a wide range of viewpoints.

There has been a significant response from the community with a total of 682 visitors attending the in-person events. We received extensive feedback through various channels, 809 feedback forms were submitted, either in person or online, complemented by 144 emails. 646 contributions were also made on the interactive map of the proposals, providing valuable location-specific feedback. It is important to note that the visible comments on the Commonplace engagement platform do not include those where users did not verify their email address. 

Clear themes have emerged from the feedback collected; these include:

• Swan Centre: Clear support for a more modern and attractive shopping centre, including an improved range of shops, restaurants/cafes and leisure facilities, as well as better connectivity and public realm.
• Building heights: Community feedback showed a strong interest in the potential height of new buildings and how this might impact the town’s character. We are working hard in this area to adjust the proposals while still delivering the scheme’s benefits. 
• Public green spaces: Many respondents highlighted the need for accessible green spaces. This was further amplified by the separate petition that was presented to MVDC’s Full Council on 15 October. The project team is exploring every option to increase the amount of accessible and open space in the scheme.
• Traffic: A number of concerns focussed on how any development might affect town centre traffic, in particular around the one-way system. As part of preparing to submit a planning application, a full transport assessment will be carried out and the Highway Authority consulted.

The project team is now evaluating all feedback received and will be reviewing the proposals where feasible. Before any planning application is submitted, further public engagement will take place to ensure continued dialogue with the community.

Councillor Keira Vyvyan-Robinson, MVDC Cabinet Member for Property & Projects said: “I would like to thank all the residents and businesses that took the time to take part in the recent consultation – the feedback gathered during this consultation phase will play an essential role in refining the project’s direction and design. The Leret Partnership is committed to working with the community to develop proposals that will positively shape the future of Leatherhead.”

For updates and to stay informed on future engagement, please visit www.theleretpartnership.co.uk and sign up for the mailing list.