The Borough Council resolved to grant outline planning permission last month for the comprehensive redevelopment of 94 hectares of farmland allocated for development in the borough's local plan. The scheme, proposed by a development consortium including Crest Nicholson, A2Dominion, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon, would include 1,510 residential units, of which 25% would be affordable homes.
The plans included a neighbourhood centre with 1,000 square metres of commercial floorspace, three to six small shops, a community hall and sites for a medical centre and a place of worship. A primary school site, 29 hectares of open space, play facilities and two allotment sites were also proposed.
In a statement released this week, the Borough Council said it had reached agreement with the consortium for the provision of £40m in infrastructure investment alongside the new development. It said that more than £10m would be provided directly by the developers and a further £30m would be provided to the Borough Council and to Surrey County Council to invest in "highways, public transport, education, leisure and recreation and community infrastructure and service improvements".
"This marks a major milestone in delivering the new homes and the infrastructure improvements we have planned for the town, as part of the Horley masterplan," said the Borough Council's executive member for planning and development Tony Schofield in the statement. "The development also secures a significant contribution towards the borough’s five year housing supply, enabling new homes to be built in a planned manner with the appropriate infrastructure needed to support the development."
"It is a priority for us that this will be a high quality and sustainable new neighbourhood that will become part of Horley, providing both homes and facilities for local people," said Schofield. "The Borough Council will work with the developers, the County Council and local people to ensure that the infrastructure is provided in a coordinated and timely way and to ensure Horley residents feel the benefit from these improvements."
The Borough Council said preliminary works were expected to start on the site in the spring.