Frequently Asked Questions about Preston regeneration project
This section provides some Frequently Asked Questions about the Preston regeneration project.
What exactly is the initiative?
So, how will it be progressed?
How will this be funded?
Will this just affect residents of the Preston Ward?
Will the community have a say in the proposals?
How were Urban Practitioners selected?
When will we hear more?
What exactly is the initiative?
As part of the continuing work in the area, Surrey County Council and Reigate & Banstead Borough Council now intend focusing on the area’s physical environment and how this can be improved.
We will be looking at, for example:
- roads
- parking
- transport
- housing
- and much more.
Also to be considered is the potential development of the remainder of the De Burgh school site and the possibility of improved community facilities, although we would emphasise that there are currently no definite proposals.
So, how will it be progressed?
In 2004 community representatives joined with officers and Councillors from Surrey County Council and Reigate & Banstead Borough Council to appoint a firm of consultants called Urban Practitioners to look at the regeneration of the whole area.
In consultation with the residents, and the County and Borough Councils, Urban Practitioners have produced a regeneration masterplan for the area.
How will this be funded?
Surrey County Council currently owns the remainder of the former De Burgh school site, and they have already agreed to plough part of the money they get from selling this site back into the local area. Through its planning policies and process the Borough Council will be generating resources to be used to deliver some of the proposals in the Masterplan.
Will this just affect residents of the Preston Ward?
So far, much of the work carried out in the Preston Ward has been concentrated within the Ward boundary.
However, it is acknowledged that any work concerning the physical environment will have an impact on the wider area, hence the inclusion of a significant number of properties outside of the Ward boundary (the whole area within the red boundary will make up this 
project’s Study Area (391.5kB).)
Will the community have a say in the proposals?
Yes - we already have a number of Community Representatives on the project team for this initiative.
They are: Les Bidwell, Rev Roger Welch, Doug Lewis and Debbie Sainsbury. Urban Practitioners have also gathered the views of local residents and local groups. These views have been taken into account in the preparation of the regeneration plan.
How were Urban Practitioners selected?
The Council and Surrey County Council prepared a Project Brief that was then sent out to eleven companies specialising in this type of work.
Eight of these companies expressed an interest is doing the work - three of these were selected to be interviewed by a panel made up of Councillors, Officers from the Council and Surrey County Council, and three representatives from the local community.
The panel were agreed that any of these three companies would have been satisfactory for the preparation of the Preston Masterplan - but Urban Practitioners were considered the best of the three.
Whilst Urban Practitioners have be responsible for the preparation of the Masterplan, they have worked with a number of other specialist companies: Faber Maunsell (Transport); Penoyre & Prasad (Architects) and CB Richard Ellis (Property & Valuation).
When will we hear more?
Further updates and information will be published as the project progresses.
If you have any queries, please contact Council Help Line on 01737 276000
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
Town Hall
Castlefield Road
Reigate
RH2 0SH
01737 276000
customer.services@reigate-banstead.gov.uk
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