Extra funds to turn council headquarters into housing

Additional funding has been approved for plans to turn a Surrey council's headquarters into new homes.

Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) has agreed to invest a further £110,000 to explore the future of Elmbridge Civic Centre in Esher, which has been earmarked for 400 homes.

As well as the council, the building is home to Surrey Police, Elmbridge Citizens Advice and two private companies renting space.

A decision on the future of the building is scheduled for December.

The additional funding includes £40,000 for a consultancy firm and money for surveys, space planning and project management.

"Delivering much needed housing is a priority," an EBC spokesman said.

The council has said the Civic Centre must be “more accessible and integrated” to contribute to the High Street's “vitality”, with Esher the “civic heart” of Elmbridge.

Various options for the council’s future base have been put on the table since early 2022 when the building was declared “not fit for purpose”.

Work initially looked at either refurbishing the existing building or demolishing it and rebuilding a new civic centre at the site, according to a council report.

In January, the option of acquiring and moving to a new site in Esher was introduced, and the refurbishing of the existing building was ruled out, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Council officers said there was a risk neither relocating or rebuilding was financially viable, but added ongoing reviews will ensure the project remains feasible.

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