Dorking office site to be converted into flats
Clarion Housing Association have obtained planning permission to build flats designed for affordable rent on a brownfield site in Dorking that currently features an office block.
The plan to create a block of flats on the Regent House site, which were approved unanimously on 7 August by Mole Valley District Council, will add 126 new affordable homes to the borough, which is equivalent to 16% of the council’s annual housing target.
The scheme, designed by Assael Architecture, will be spread across two blocks of flats, being three and seven storeys respectively, with a 500sqm commercial unit at ground floor level to support local businesses and drive job creation.
A green space will also be created for the community that aims to plant 28 new trees in the area and would contribute to a 14% net gain in biodiversity as a result.
A construction contractor has not yet been appointed to this project. Work is expected to start on this site in 2025, though a more specific date has not yet been made available.
With all of the flats designed to be for affordable rent these homes will be let at least 20% below local market rents or let at rates set between market rents and social rents.
The Mole Valley District Council is reportedly behind the targets set for it to produce affordable housing, with 640 names on the councils housing waiting list. This project could be highly impactful for the community and promote movement in the right direction.
Clarion’s Director of Development, Richard Cook, said: “This project, which has been three years in the making, will bring much needed affordable homes to the area by transforming this brownfield site. Working closely with Mole Valley District Council, we aim to create a vibrant community that meets the region’s housing needs while also respecting and enhancing the local environment.”
“Our commitment to quality and sustainability is at the forefront of this development, and we are eager to start building these new homes for the Dorking community.”
Greg Williams, Head of Business Development at Compariqo, said: “Seeing the large waiting list for affordable housing at the Mole Valley District Council puts into perspective the desperate need for affordable housing in the UK at the moment.”
“The project presented by Clarion is certainly a step in the right direction and one that Compariqo wholeheartedly supports.”
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