Redhill and Horley Car Parks Plan Could Bring 100 New Homes
Empty Tarmac Could Become Your Community’s New Homes
For years, locals in Redhill and Horley have watched parking spaces gather weeds while families struggle to find affordable housing nearby. Now, the borough council is seriously considering transforming two underused town centre car parks into something the community desperately needs: homes.
The Gloucester Road car park in Redhill could be reimagined as 60 new flats, with 40 more potentially built on Horley’s High Street car park. This isn’t just urban planning jargon—it’s a direct response to a housing crisis that’s become impossible to ignore in our area.
House prices in Reigate and Banstead have soared to roughly ten times local average incomes, pricing out young families, key workers, and long-term residents. Meanwhile, homelessness support requests have jumped dramatically, from 1,385 in 2022-23 to over 1,900 just two years later. The council recognises that continuing to build on green belt land isn’t sustainable, making these brownfield car park sites potentially valuable solutions to keep development focused where infrastructure already exists.
Who’s Behind the Plan and What It Means for Local Business
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is actively seeking developers to take on these ambitious projects, with final approval needed from the newly formed East Surrey Council for any deals exceeding £1 million. Ben Green, speaking to the council’s executive committee, emphasised that these sites offer “significant housing and affordable housing to the borough without loss of amenity.”
Local businesses and traders in Redhill and Horley’s town centres are watching closely. The council has committed to maintaining existing parking spaces—a crucial promise for shop owners, restaurants, and service providers who depend on foot traffic. However, questions remain about how parking will be redistributed and whether the new residents will support local high streets through increased footfall and custom.
Developers specialising in urban regeneration—similar to firms like Guilford builders who’ve tackled loft conversion and loft rebuilding projects across Surrey—will be essential to making these schemes work. The expertise required for converting underused car parks into modern, liveable apartments mirrors the precision needed in loft refurbishment projects. Local architects and construction firms could secure significant contracts as the projects progress.
What You Need to Know and What Happens Next
The biggest concern locals are raising is parking. Councillor Michael Blacker warned that adding 100 homes without adequate parking spaces risks creating long-term problems. The council’s response? That the alternative—sprawling development across protected green belt land—would be worse.
As a resident here, here’s what matters for your neighbourhood: First, these aren’t quick projects. Securing a developer and finalising designs will take months. Second, parking solutions will be crucial to monitor—advocate for multilevel or shared parking arrangements if you use these areas regularly. Third, affordability is key. The council has specifically mentioned “affordable and social rent” flats, which could genuinely help people priced out of our housing market.
Watch for public consultation announcements from Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. When detailed plans are revealed—timelines, designs, and parking arrangements—make your voice heard. Attend council meetings, submit feedback, and engage with your local councillors. The next approval hurdle is East Surrey Council, so understand how the new unitary authority operates. This development could reshape our town centres for a generation. Whether it becomes a success or a cautionary tale depends partly on how engaged we are now.
Source: Car parks in Redhill and Horley could be turned into new housing
