The council is continuing to review its considerable property portfolio to identify surplus and underutilised sites that have the potential to create a financial return and more community value through sale.
The review is being conducted to support the council’s finances, which are impacted by the escalating cost of delivering essential services to residents, with proceeds from these sales going towards sustaining these services.
The sites considered for sale are evaluated against their community value for residents, current use, levels of activity, estimated financial return, future potential and if the council is the natural owner of such a site. Many sites could unlock brownfield development for much needed affordable housing in the borough for keyworkers, young families and those starting out on the property ladder.
This process is part of several measures the council is taking to transform its operations, whilst continuing to focus on delivering vital services to residents.
The following land and buildings are now being marketed:
- 5-13 Obelisk Way, Camberley.
Part of this building once traded as the Litten Tree pub, and it has the potential to be developed into modern and desirable town centre housing or retained for commercial use. The current occupiers are Tivoli Interiors, Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice and Charity Aid Store, and the building is being marketed with the leases for those occupiers in place.
- Part of Yorktown car park, Sullivan Road, Camberley.
The section being marketed comprises 75 spaces, leaving 58 spaces remaining which is more than enough to cope with demand based on the data collected over recent years. Further parking is also available at the adjoining Basepoint Business Park. The site has the potential to deliver much needed homes and there is a specific policy highlighting this in the council’s new local plan.
Councillor Kel Finan-Cooke, Portfolio Holder for Property and Economic Development, Surrey Heath Borough Council said;
“It is entirely necessary to conduct this exercise as we continue to seek savings and create revenue on behalf of the residents of Surrey Heath, to ensure essential services can be maintained.
The council is not a natural owner of all these assets, sometimes community partners are, or commercial operators, including housing developers.
All offers received for these locations will be carefully assessed to ensure they constitute best value for residents. In addition, all sales are subject to review at the cross-party Property and Economic Development Working group before being considered for approval at a formal meeting of the council’s Executive.”
Further information.
For further information or to express interest in the site please contact the retained selling agents Ben Evans (Bevans@lsh.co.uk) and Ashley Sorayapour (ASorayapour@lsh.co.uk) or the council’s property team – property@surreyheath.gov.uk.