PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF SANDOWN PARK RACECOURSE  

 Those residents who live around Sandown Park received a flyer in early December informing them of a Public Exhibition that was to be held on the 15th December. This exhibition would inform the public of the Jockey Club’s planning proposals for the site.

 The flyer described proposed ‘enhancements’. These included Racetrack improvements, a pedestrian link between Esher Station and the town centre, a family zone with café, indoor/outdoor play facilities, children’s cycle track (open to the public all year round) a new nursery, a 150 room hotel, refurbished grandstand, improved car parking and a Grade 1 standard stabling and racing staff accommodation.  Click here to see the full details in the flyer. 

 The flyer further explained that the funding for the enhancements would be from the provision of ‘five small, discreet pockets of residential development (including affordable units). These would be located on the edges of Sandown Park on previously developed land or adjacent to existing buildings and, combined, will cover just 5.1% of the whole site.

 What was not absolutely clear in the flyer was the number of housing units that were being proposed for each of the five sites – it merely stated the percentage of coverage for each one: Site 1 - 0.4%; Site 2 - 0.6%; Site 3 - 1.8%; Site 4 - 0.9%; Site 5 - 1.4%.

 Cllr Shipley attended the exhibition on the 15th December and ascertained the number of units being proposed. She was told that this was not ‘written in stone’ – the number, type/design of the units could change. The written responses being provided on the day of the exhibition would be studied and public opinion on the proposals (housing; enhancements; highway concerns, etc) would be taken into consideration and changes made.

 At the 15th December consultation however, approx. 300 units were being proposed (see map below):

• Site 1 “Mews” 15 apartments 1 – 3 storeys. (situated where the present hotel exists)
  Site 2 “Urban Parade” 40 apartments 1 – 4 storeys (Esher High Street)
  Site 3 “Villas” 110 apartments 3 - 4 storeys (More Lane/Lower Green Road – opposite the Tudor-style houses)
  Site 4 “Crescent” 70 apartments 4 – 6 storeys (Behind Café Rouge)
  Site 5 “Villas” 70 apartments 3 – 4 storeys (By nursery on Portsmouth Road)

A further exhibition has been planned for the Tuesday 15th January, 7 – 9 30pm.
The Sandown Park team will be posting an invitation to this second exhibition very shortly. It is crucial that residents keep abreast of what is being proposed. Cllr Shipley was told that the January 15th exhibition would illustrate the Jockey Club’s initial response to the feedback received.

We urge as many residents as possible to take a look at the proposals.