Mount Browne

Surrey Police HQ

Planning Application 24/P/00563 and 24/P/00564

Mount Browne is one of two adjacent sites, the other being the Law College identified for development in the Local Plan. Both are previously developed sites in the Green Belt.

The site is allocated for approximately 116 homes, including some self-build and custom house building plots (C3)

LPSS Policy A32 states

Requirements

(1) Provide positive benefit in terms of landscape and townscape character and local distinctiveness and have regard to the identified landscape character areas (2) Have regard to the character of the adjacent conservation area and views in and out of the River Wey Conservation Area

It is noted that key considerations are:

(1) Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

(2) Sustainable transport given the site’s proximity to Guildford Town Centre

(3) Proximity to SSSI

(4) Adjoining ancient woodland

(5) Adjacent to St Catherine’s Conservation Area

Current Status

The Police in a change of plans have decided not to relocate but now plan to update and reconfigure the Mount Brown Site

Surrey Police have now held a exhibition on their proposed plans prior to submitting a planning application.

Mount Browne has been the headquarters of Surrey Police for over 70 years, inevitably parts of the estate are ageing; and are not best designed to meet the needs of policing our communities in the 21st Century. A key aim is make the whole site more sustainable and efficient, both financially and environmentally.

Although the Force previously purchased land in Leatherhead, in 2018, to develop a new, purpose-built headquarters from the ground up; following a review of the programme in November 2021, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Surrey Police Chief Officer team took the decision to retain Mount Browne.

The proposed plans for Mount Browne retains the old house at the centre of the site, and several of the more modern buildings. The site is being reconfigured considerably with facilites including the dog School and Contact centre all being moved. The parking area will be condensed into a multistorey Car park.

The Consultation Boards used at the public exhibition can be downloaded from the attached file below.

A full application to redevelop the site has now been submitted 24/P/00563 New Access Road, and 24/P/00564 Police HQ redevelopment.

Plan for site

Proposals for Buildings

The old House will be preserved
A revised set of offices at the Heart of the Campus
A new contact Centre for the Force
A new Dog School (Surrey Police is a world leader in dog training)
Revised Sports Facilities

New Access Road from Artington Roundabout

Site Plan for Revised Mount Browne

New Buildings including Multistorey Car Park and relocated Dog School, and access road

Update August 2024

The proposed plans have been updated slightly with a modified treatment of the Multi Story Car Park to make it fit into the landscape better. There is also extra Tree planting.

Surrey Hills National Landscape have raised concerns about the lighting on the access road and the questions why the small traingular peiece of land to the west of the new access road cannot be planted to mitigate damage to the landscape. We agree with these concerns.