Surrey Police spent nearly £3 million, on top of the £20.5 million used to buy a new site, on failed plans to move its headquarters as part of disastrous money-saving efforts.

The force originally planned to move from its current home at Mount Browne, on the outskirts of Guildford, to Leatherhead but later changed its mind.

Surrey Police bought the former Electrical Research Association (ERA) and Cobham Industries site on Cleeve Road in Leatherhead in 2018 for nearly £20.5 million, aiming to develop a new, purpose-built headquarters from the ground up.

The move was part of an extensive estates project to deliver long-term savings by moving out and disposing of some of the current outdated and costly buildings, according to the PCC.

Between 2020-2021, approximately £2.95 million was spent on the plans for redeveloping the Leatherhead site. These were a mixture of design team fees and survey costs. But by the end of 2021, recently elected Lisa Townsend, the new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and the Chief Constable decided to scrap the idea.

Around half of the costs were incurred in establishing the project brief and defining strategies for the project, which the PCC said was directly transferrable to the Mount Browne redevelopment project.

Plans to develop the site were paused in June 2021 whilst an independent review, commissioned by Surrey Police, was carried out to look specifically at the financial implications of the project. Following recommendations from the review, the force had three options for the future:

In November 2021, Lisa Townsend, the new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) and the Chief Constable decided that the best option was to redevelop its existing home. Despite the original Leatherhead plans being part of a cost-saving exercise, the PCC chose to redevelop the current HQ instead, saying it was better value for public money.

Ms Townsend said: “Back in 2019, a decision was taken to build a new headquarters site in Leatherhead and I can fully understand the reasons why. But the policing landscape significantly shifted in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in the way the Surrey Police workforce operated in terms of remote working.

“I made the decision together with the Chief Constable at the time that remaining at Mount Browne was the right option for both Surrey Police and the public we serve.

“The most important factor for me has always been that we provide value for money for our residents and deliver an even better policing service for them.”

Ms Townsend added: “Mount Browne has been Surrey Police’s home for over 70 years, but the buildings here are run down, expensive to maintain and simply no longer meet the requirements of a modern police force.

“Staying as we are is not an option for the future. The redevelopment plans for our HQ site will deliver a vastly improved working environment that is sustainable for the Force, both financially and environmentally.”

Plans to transform Mt Browne into a modern police headquarters were approved in November 2024. The scheme includes accommodation for police students, a new dog kennel, decked car park as well as constructing new operational buildings.

After the Leatherhead plan was dropped, and before any spades were even put in the ground, £4.6 million was spent on the designs and plans for developing Surrey Police’s current home.

According to the PCC office, work from the Leatherhead scheme was directly transferrable to the Mount Browne redevelopment project. The previous survey work for Leatherhead is also now being used to inform the designs for the new divisional HQ.

A Surrey Police spokesperson said the force is “unable to confirm exact expected spends while the project is ongoing”. The HQ redevelopment is said to be funded by selling other sites and through long term loans.

The force said it is in the process of reviewing all sites across our estates to assess which are still fit for purpose for today’s policing requirements and where it can work more efficiently.

The spokesperson added: “We will have new facilities to support our officers and staff in their important role protecting the community. Long-term, these plans will save public money; this remains a key focus of the programme and our work around it.”

Surrey Police claim four years after the site’s completion, the force will have recovered all costs linked to the development. They also say the plans will help reduce running costs as it increases the environmental and sustainability credentials of all our buildings.

A Surrey Police spokesperson said: “We are committed to creating a site that secures our heritage, reflects the needs of today’s policing environment, and looks to the future. These plans will also enable us to continue to attract and retain the best officers and staff across the Force, which will be vital as we continue to work to make a real difference to the communities of Surrey.”

Surrey Police is now selling part of the site, while repurposing the rest of the land to develop a new Eastern Division HQ. The plot will now serve communities across Mole Valley, Epsom and Ewell, Tandridge and Reigate and Banstead.

A spokesperson said the proposal will “enable us to build a site that is fit for purpose and policing East Surrey both now and in the future”. Although these plans are in the early stages, the force said it is now engaging with Mole Valley District Council, as well as residents and businesses.

The proposed new Leatherhead building will replace the old Eastern Division HQ in Reigate. After Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was discovered in Reigate Police Station in September 2023, the East Surrey police division temporarily moved to Surrey Fire and Rescue’s former HQ, also in Reigate.

Surrey Police is now selling part of the Leatherhead site, while repurposing the rest of the land to develop a new Eastern Division HQ. The plot will now serve communities across Mole Valley, Epsom and Ewell, Tandridge and Reigate and Banstead.

A spokesperson said the proposal will “enable us to build a site that is fit for purpose and policing East Surrey both now and in the future”. Although these plans are in the early stages, the force said it is now engaging with Mole Valley District Council, as well as residents and businesses. 

The proposed new Leatherhead building will replace the old Eastern Division HQ in Reigate. After Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) was discovered in Reigate Police Station in September 2023, the East Surrey police division temporarily moved to Surrey Fire and Rescue’s former HQ, also in Reigate.