At its upcoming meeting on 8 April, the Surrey Heath Borough Council Executive will consider plans for essential resurfacing works to improve the car park and access road at Frimley Lodge Park.
With visitor numbers continuing to grow, this 24-hectare park offers a wide range of facilities, including woodlands, open spaces, picnic areas, playgrounds, an exercise equipment trail, a miniature railway, and scenic meadows.
It borders the Basingstoke Canal, providing easy links to other green spaces. Sports enthusiasts can also take advantage of football and cricket pitches available for hire.
Surrey Heath Portfolio Holder for Net Zero, Environment, and Leisure, Cllr Morgan Rise, said: "Frimley Lodge Park is a popular destination, offering a diverse range of facilities and activities for all ages. It’s a well-loved park that has gone from strength to strength over the years.
“Due to its increasing visitor numbers, essential resurfacing work is now needed on the main access road and car park to ensure the park remains safe, accessible, and welcoming for everyone.
“I want to ensure that all those that use the car park at Frimley Lodge can use it safely and easily, and this project aims to improve accessibility to our exceptional green spaces, ensuring that they are more welcoming and easily reachable for everyone in the community.”
Frimley Lodge Park welcomes around 250,000 cars each year and is home to various sports clubs, football teams, and cricket tournaments. It also hosts the hugely popular Parkrun, drawing over 650 runners each week. Beyond its role as a valued community space, the park generates commercial income through café lettings and chargeable activities such as the 3G pitch.
If approved, the resurfacing works will address the significant flooding and drainage issues that affect the main car park during inclement weather. These issues not only disrupt park users but also impact tenants of and visitors to the adjacent Scout Hut.
To ensure the car park remains functional even during heavy rain, when large areas are often submerged and unusable, the project will incorporate key upgrades, including improved drainage, enhanced lighting, and designated parking areas to maximise capacity. Additionally, the project will explore future-proofing the site by integrating infrastructure to support potential electric vehicle (EV) charging points.
Rather than introducing parking charges, the council will fund the improvements through the Community Infrastructure Levy, ensuring the upgrades are delivered without additional costs to visitors.
Update 10 April 2025
At the Executive meeting of 8 April 2025, the proposed resurfacing works to the Frimley Lodge Park car park and access road were agreed, to be funded from Community Infrastructure Levy payments.