Running Hare Investment Management are managing these development proposals on behalf of the shopping centre owners, Redhill Ventures Ltd.

This is a UK-based company comprising private investors who acquired The Belfry Shopping Centre in February 2023.

The development proposals are at three sites on the edges of The Belfry Centre. The main core of the shopping centre and its car park are not included.

The three sites largely comprise dated buildings with architecture that offers very little to the town centre. They are prime regeneration opportunities that can revitalise the frontages of both Station Road and High Street.

Yes, the proposals will allow the shopping centre to remain open and the access to the 750-space car park will be unaffected. Given that the redevelopment proposals include a feature new entrance for the Belfry Shopping centre, the High Street entrance will not be available for part of the development programme. The Station Road entrance is unaffected and will remain open throughout.

Following local consultation, we aim to submit planning applications for the three sites in the third quarter of 2025. The planning decision-making process will then follow and the precise duration of this is not known, although it is hoped that the Council will approve the applications within 6-9 months. Demolition and construction activity will follow approximately 12 months later.

Positive discussions are underway with the affected tenants, who have different leases and licences. The objective is to retain all tenants in The Belfry or Redhill and different options will be discussed. The rights of existing tenants will be fully respected.

Broadly, the amount of retail space currently found at ground floor at the three sites will be re-provided. There will be modern, attractive new space for both shops and restaurants, which will meet the needs of a variety of tenants.

There is a need for more homes within Redhill and these brownfield sites are in an ideal location with good access to local facilities and public transport. Bringing new residents and their spending power into the town centre aims to underpin the local economy and attract even more investment.

This will be discussed with the Council through their usual process and will depend on the overall financial viability of the proposals.

Each site has been carefully assessed and important issues like the Conservation Area and neighbouring buildings have been considered to ensure the new development is sensitive to them. On the High Street frontage closest to The Junction pub (Site B), the building will be four-storeys, stepping up to seven and eight-storeys nearer the junction with Cromwell Road (Site A) and matching the height of The Rise opposite. On Station Road, the height will be eight-storeys adjacent to Santander building, matching its height and stepped down to five-storeys adjacent to shopping centre entrance.

Each of the three sites will have separate applications and may come forward at different times given the different leases for the various tenants. Each site is capable of being developed separately but the overall objective is to bring all three forward over time.

The amount of car parking will be discussed with the Council, but the intention is to provide spaces in The Belfry Shopping Centre multi-storey car park which has sufficient capacity for this. Due to the constrained town centre location there isn’t space to include car parking within the site boundaries.

The proposals are substantial new investment which will deliver construction-related jobs, introduce high quality design, enhance dated frontages, inject spending power through the arrival of an increased town centre population, provide modern new shops and restaurants and introduce a feature new entrance to The Belfry along with improved public spaces on High Street and Station Road. Affordable housing will also be provided subject to financial viability.

These are recognised to have local heritage value and an appropriate new location for them is being explored. The bells will be carefully removed and stored during the construction works, and will be reinstalled once the new development is complete.