Chelsea are exploring the idea of expanding their current 140 acre training ground in Cobham with the local council now confirming the Blues are in talks Chelsea new training ground upgrade latest as official statement released “Chelsea are exploring the idea of expanding their current training ground in Cobham with the local council now confirming the Blues are in talks…”

Views sought on proposed Council Tax Reduction schemes Consultations are launching across Surrey to help shape the Council Tax Reduction Schemes that will operate from April 2027. Residents who currently receive Council Tax Reduction (CTR), as well as people who support them, are being asked to share their views on proposals for the schemes that will operate in the new East and West Surrey Councils from April 2027.

£500,000 boost for rural and farming businesses to grow and innovate A wine producer using bird-repelling lasers and cattle farmer using GPS collars to track livestock are among 17 innovative projects funded from a £500,000 pot to boost Surrey's rural economy. Surrey County Council's Farming Innovation Accelerator supports farmers and growers with funding for projects to modernise operations, improve productivity, diversify and develop commercially.

Kingston Council update: Updated 8 October 2026, 10.10am The Met Police and London Fire Brigade investigations at the site are now complete and the area cordoned off has been reduced, impacting fewer local businesses and traders. Businesses and traders outside the cordon are now able to open. Work to make the damaged buildings safe is underway and the clean up of the area will commence once it is safe to do so.

App for visually impaired bus users expands to 13 Surrey hospitals Surrey County Council is now providing access to the Aira Explorer app which helps blind and partially sighted Surrey residents to travel independently, at major hospitals and healthcare sites across the county. The app allows customers to place a video call with a trained visual interpreter on speakerphone, who looks through the person's smartphone camera to guide them from the nearest bus stops to the hospital entrance.

Surrey County Council will consider the following motion from a Green Party councillor on 13 October - SCC are the highway authority until the function passes to East and West Surrey councils 1 April 2027: Catherine Baart (Earlswood and Reigate South) to move under Standing Order 11 as follows: This Council notes that: Since September 2025 many flags have been illegally erected on the public highway in Surrey without any of the required permissions.

Statement on the fire at Kingston Market Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames statement Read our statement on the fire at Kingston Market. Updated 6 October 2026, 8.20pm London Fire Brigade attended a fire at Kingston Market Place in the early hours of Tuesday 6 October. There were no injuries but the fire damaged several market stalls and businesses. Due to the incident, the Market Place was cordoned off.

Elmbridge Borough Council update Autumn countryside management works at Oxshott Heath Find out about the current works at Oxshott Heath to improve visitor access and enhance the woodland habitat. October 2026 Categories: Environment Oxshott Heath is a valued local green space, providing opportunities for residents to enjoy nature, exercise and spend time outdoors, while also supporting important wildlife habitats. You may have noticed work taking place as part of a programme to improve visitor access and enhance the heath’s woodland habitat, helping to ensure it can be enjoyed by both people and wildlife for generations to come.

From Surrey Police An armed man was no match for our brave police dog… After facing down a man wielding a knife in the street, one of our incredible police dogs has been recognised for his service in keeping people safe. Last week, German Shepherd PD Frankie won the ‘Outstanding Bravery Award’ at the annual Thin Blue Paw Awards for his response to this incident back in February.

A very detailed report by planning officers is recommending approval for up to 103 affordable homes in Esher as part of a development of 206 on a disused golf course. The site is at Moore Place on the edge of the town centre with vehicular access on to A307 Portsmouth Road. The site is considered to meet the grey belt criteria for parts of the green belt as dictated by the Government National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

FREE Epsom & Ewell Digital Inclusion Fair on 19 October to help residents build digital confidence and get more from online services October, 2026 Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is inviting residents to its FREE Digital Inclusion Fair on Monday 19 October as part of Get Online Week. Taking place from 11am to 2pm at Epsom Methodist Church, the event will give residents the opportunity to speak directly with local organisations and receive free, practical advice and guidance on a range of topics.

Update on Cobham Stoke d’Abernon and Oxshott housing proposals via Cllr David Lewis Newsletter PLANNING UPDATE There are now four major housing developments planned within my new East Surrey ward of Cobham & Oxshott South. The three largest applications are all on Green Belt which the applicants are proposing to reclassify as Grey Belt land as per the new guidance from the Labour Government.

Cllr David Lewis explains in his Newsletter: OXSHOTT HEATH Residents have been understandably concerned by the tree clearance which is taking place along Sandy Lane and that which is proposed to take place on Oxshott Heath. These are two separate projects both of which are being managed by Elmbridge Borough Council. As part of Elmbridge's agreement to designate part of Esher Common a Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANGs), the Sandy Lane East car park is undergoing refurbishment and improvements to re-establish a single surfaced car park.

Latest Thames Water update with work continuing to 9 October Repair Progressing 2 October, 10:40am Work is continuing to repair the damaged water main, with teams now moving into the next stage of the work. The affected section of the main has been uncovered, and our teams are now removing the damaged pipe and preparing the area for its replacement. …

The newsletter from the MP covering Weybridge Cobham and Oxshott, Dr Ben Spencer, includes his visit to the Oxshott Medical Practice: “It was great to catch up again with representatives from the Oxshott Medical Practice and Elmbridge Borough Council recently, as well as Borough Councillors Alan Parker and Andrew Burley, to discuss the ongoing project to deliver a new medical practice building for Oxshott.

The Ugly Bug Ball Crawls Into Leatherhead for Two Days of Halloween Family Fun Swan Centre and Leatherhead High Street to host town-wide Halloween takeover this half term, featuring mask-making, creepy-crawly encounters, a Trick or Treat Trail and more. The Swan Centre and high street will transform into a haunted hub of family entertainment this October half term, as Leatherhead prepares for two days of Halloween festivities under the banner of "The Ugly Bug Ball.“

From the Harlequin Support Group 2 October So - what took place at Full Council last night! Well, Cllr Biggs and his executive hung on to power (just) and will lead the Borough Council for the remaining 6 months of its existence. In terms of the Harlequin project, 3 years on, there was a bit of slightly more hopeful news!

Driver who claimed his vehicle had a defect receives sentence In April 2024 it was a normal Thursday afternoon in Epsom town centre. The weather was dry and clear, a nice spring day. The time was around 5:30pm, the high street was busy with people heading home after the workday. A pedestrian had reached the pavement just outside the Metro Bank when suddenly there was a loud engine noise.

Next step announced for Hook Road Arena feasibility study Friday, 2 October, 2026 Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has reached a key milestone in its strategic priority to assess Hook Road Arena’s suitability for a mixed-use leisure and residential development. The council has commissioned Continuum Sport & Leisure (Continuum), an independent consultancy appointed through the Sport England Framework, to carry out a Best Value Feasibility Study to explore the site's development potential.

With just 125 working days left before abolition, 1 October councillors in Reigate and Banstead were asked to vote confidence or no confidence in the minority Conservative administration led by Cllr Richard Biggs. The vote was tied with the Residents Association Mayor using a casting vote to maintain the status quo. The shadow East Surrey leader Cllr Steve Wooton ( Lib Dem ) as a ward councillor in RBBC voted against the motion :

From Surrey Police 3.30pm 1 October Thursday: We're currently assisting our colleagues at Surrey Fire and Rescue Service with a lorry fire and oil spillage on the the A243 Kingston Road in Leatherhead. The road currently remains closed both ways between the M25 J9 (Leatherhead) and Leatherhead Golf Club. Please use alternative routes where possible, and we will update you once the road has reopened.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council publishes final Annual Report 30 September, 2026 Today, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has published its 2025/26 Annual Report,marking the authority's final annual report before local government reorganisation and reflecting on almost 90 years of service to residents. The report showcases both the council's achievements over the last financial year and key moments from its history since the Borough of Epsom and Ewell was established in 1937.

From Helen Maguire MP : September has been a quieter month than usual. I had a very short spell away from work to recover from a pre-planned surgery, and Parliament has since gone into recess for the party conference season. Recovery is going well and I'm very grateful to everyone who sent kind messages and well wishes! As Parliament returns in a few weeks, I'm looking forward to getting back to work in Westminster and focusing on the issues that matter most to you.

Surrey Police seeking man with links to several towns in East Surrey including Leatherhead Dorking Caterham We're appealing for the public's help to locate Jason McDonald, 54, of no fixed address, who is wanted on recall to prison. McDonald is described as a White man, about 5ft 8'' of slight build, with hazel eyes. He hast short greying hair. He has links to #Caterham, #Warlingham, #Leatherhead, #Dorking, #Guildford, #Stanwell and #Croydon.

From Surrey Police On 2 August, officers from our Neighbourhood Enforcement Team were patrolling Epsom when they spotted a Sur-Ron electric motorbike being ridden around the town centre. Watching his interactions with others, they suspected he was involved in drug dealing and went to intercept him. Their target spotted them as they approached and attempted to ride off but didn’t get very far and was swiftly tackled off his bike.

Thames Water update Wednesday: We're still on site 30 September, 10:40am This morning, our teams have been at the site and are making good progress with the work carried out on repairing the damaged water main. After carrying out more inspections, we are happy to confirm that the area is still stable and that it is now safe to carry on with the repair work.

Work continues 29 September, 2:45pm Work on site at Walton Road area continues. We have managed to get rid of the flooding at the burst site and isolated the broken pipe. We're still working to ensure that the site is safe of any voids or structural issues prior to any further work being carried out. To help maintain supplies for customers during the repair, tankers remain in place to pump additional water into the network with additional resources on standby if needed.

Another day another burst water main This one is only affecting a relatively small area mainly on the Ashtead side of the M25 The responsible utility is the water supply company for the area SESW.

Latest closures in the demise of the spin off from WH Smith include four local branches in East Surrey plus Crawley. As with Redhill, Crawley hosts a Post Office so that has to be advertised in the hope an operator will take it over. Dorking closure includes the adjacent British Bookstore. Leatherhead leaves a not unexpected void in the Swan Centre.

Not yet, it seems. Their planning consultants would need to reapply with better information as per the reasons for refusal set out in the decision notice below: Full report by planning officer : But notably the conclusion is that grounds for refusal on grounds of public health or proximity to schools in the particular location are not met, so it’s almost refused on a technicality…

A water leak or main burst near the reservoirs in West Molesey seems to be affecting water supply across a large area into SW London postcodes but certainly the north of Elmbridge: Monica Harding MP Esher and Walton: WATER SUPPLY DISRUPTION Residents across Esher and Walton have woken up to no water this morning, and schools have been forced to close.

Updates on the incoming East Surrey Council From Cllr Steve Wooton, leader of East Surrey Council (shadow council until 1 April). It has been a little while since I posted here. With work to establish the new East Surrey Council gathering pace, I intend to use this page more regularly for updates. A good place to restart is yesterday’s meeting of the East Surrey Shadow Council.

Is a minor planning application to change a farm entrance just what it seems ? Trinity College Cambridge landowner at Highlands Farm Headley Road Leatherhead - near Tyrrells Wood - has applied for a separate entrance for the cottages next to the farm. Creation of a new residential access off Headley Road to serve Highlands Cottages with the existing access being retained for access to Highlands Farm.

A planning application has been made to Epsom and Ewell Council on behalf of retailer Dunelm. The proposal is to adapt and split the premises into two units. Presumably one for Dunelm and another unspecified retailer. 26/01010/FUL|Demolition of garden centre extension, sub-division of retail unit and installation of mezzanine floorspace; erection of substation, revised parking layout and landscaping, and associated alterations.|Former Homebase 23 Reigate Road Ewell Surrey KT17 1PE Design statement Dunelm recently opened a store in Kingston upon Thames town centre.

Care planning gap exposed as most Surrey residents aged 60 and over have yet to plan ahead Seven in 10 Surrey residents aged 60 and over are concerned about how they would pay for care and support if they needed it, yet only around one in 10 have made specific plans for the future, new research shows. The YouGov survey, commissioned by Surrey County Council, reveals a gap between concern and preparation, with men appearing to be more complacent than women about future care needs and financial planning.

Sotheby’s real estate agency covering the top end of the property market are returning to Cobham High Street. After a gap of around 5 years they look to be taking the former Lemon Tree premises in the heart of the town centre. Meanwhile the Residents Association is gearing up to oppose the large scale speculative housing proposal from Burhill Group and Cala Homes for Chippings Farm between the A307 Portsmouth Road and the A3.

Former Green Belt sites like Ermyn Way appear to be easier for delivery of much needed affordable/ social / shared ownership/ below market rent housing. In contrast to brownfield sites. From Vistry Homes September 2026 VISTRY UNLOCKS COMPLEX ASHTEAD SITE TO DELIVER 270-HOME SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBOURHOOD Vistry has helped unlock a complex strategic land opportunity in Ashtead, Leatherhead, after securing planning consent for 270 new homes, following more than a decade of promotion and local engagement that began in 2014.

Update via Cllr Simon Budd Brockham Bonfire 2026 Pole Up Sunday 27 September 09.30 -10.00. Following a meeting today on the MVDC Safety Advisory Group permission has been given for the Bonfire. The short and longer range weather forecasts all point to rain during October.Have a great Bonfire everyone. Further updates in the run up to Bonfire night via

Surrey extends successful school inclusion programme following two years of positive impact Last week, school leaders, education professionals, health colleagues and local authority partners came together at The Priory Church of England School in Dorking for the launch of Year 3 of Surrey's Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme. The event marked the next chapter in Surrey County Council, the Integrated Care Board, the Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND) Partnership and voluntary sector partners' shared commitment to inclusive school environments where neurodiverse children and young people can thrive.

Two notable changes for local authority planning committees are now being implemented as directed by the Government. This affects all councils not just Surrey with impending reorganisation next year. Only the most significant applications will go to the committee. The ability for neighbour objection cases for minor applications to be escalated to committee is removed. So is the ward member ability to call-in.

Although fewer trains stop at Dorking West, it is somewhat more accessible than the Deepdene station where investment for ramps or lifts are difficult to make a viable business case. Here’s a joint news release from GWR and MVDC on using infrastructure funding at West - which was the orginally 19th century Dorking station. Dorking West Railway Station Improvements Take Step Forward…

From Surrey Police Can you help identify these individuals? We are appealing for the public's help to identify the individuals in the image below, as we believe they may be able to assist our investigation into an assault in Redhill. We appreciate the image isn't of the best quality, but we want to share it with you in case anyone recognises the individuals.

We understand that councillors on the relevant committee 22 September agreed the recommendations to go out to consultation on the proposed main modifications of the Epsom and Ewell Local Plan. There was also agreement to talk to the incoming chief executive of East Surrey Council now in post and the shadow unitary councillor for planning (Bradley Nelson of Mole Valley) on how the plan would be taken forward in the new local government structure.

New bursary scheme launched to help Ukrainian families in Epsom and Ewell build skills and access employment opportunities September, 2026 Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (EEBC) has launched a new bursary scheme to help Ukrainian families living in the borough gain new skills, access training opportunities and improve their employment prospects. The council’s Employment and Upskilling Bursary will support current and former Homes for Ukraine guests by helping to cover the costs of vocational training and accredited courses, including up to £750 towards course fees, essential materials and examination costs.

Will Horley remain without a Post Office indefinitely? That is what has happened in Esher. Morrisons Local and TG Jones closing in many towns across the country is leaving a surprising number of residents places reliant on smaller sub post offices a mile or more from the town centre. Surbiton Post Office inside Morrison Local closes early October. Redhill inside TG Jones recently shut and we’re not aware of a replacement.

From Rebecca Paul MP for Reigate and Shadow Cabinet Culture Secretary The Harlequin Theatre is an important part of Redhill and I know that we are all frustrated with how long it is taking to arrange the works and get it open again. I have and will continue to make clear that the theatre must be made safe and reopened as quickly as possible.

This is possibly not news in Weybridge itself , but after the refusal and lack of appeal on a disused pub site in Cobham, it looks as though a McDonalds franchise is hoping for permission at another local High Street: 2026/1159 29-31 High Street Weybridge – this is the recently vacated Home Library shop. There has been much speculation in the town that this is to become a branch of a well known burger chain.

Help shape your future council websites Residents, businesses, community groups and visitors across Surrey are being invited to help shape the future East Surrey and West Surrey council websites by taking part in a short online survey. The new websites are being developed ahead of the launch of East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council on 1 April 2027 as part of local government reorganisation (LGR).

Update from the Leret Partnership Joint Venture between Mole Valley District Council and Kier Property Kier Property update Following Kier Group’s announcement on 14th September that it will focus on expanding its successful Infrastructure and Construction businesses, and will not be pursuing new site acquisitions within its property business, Kier Property, we would like to reassure residents and stakeholders that the joint venture arrangements and agreed business plans with Mole Valley District Council for The Leret Partnership, and the regeneration of Bull Hill and the Swan Centre, remain unchanged.

Two bins plagued by flytipping are being removed in Bookham This container for recycling Tetra Pak cartons in Lower Shott car park in Bookham is now closed. Please rinse cartons, flatten and place in your own green wheelie bin. Since 31 March 2026 you are able to put aerosol cans, cartons, non-black plastic plant pots and squeezy metal and plastic tubes in your mixed recycling bin.