Kingswood “blot on the landscape” development approved
A Grade II* listed site on the edge of the Surrey Hills where a major Hollywood blockbuster was filmed is to be turned into a £200m housing and leisure complex.
Planning permission has been approved to turn the former Legal and General building and surrounding lands into 299 homes, two swimming pools, and office space – with speculation it could be operated by David Lloyd.
The project, led by City and Country Residential, will be constructed in phases, and includes the refurbishment and conversion of the Legal & General House – where the DC hit Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot and Pedro Pascal spent eight weeks filming.
The site will be split into 122 later living units and supporting facilities, and up to 177 private homes. Its vast 1,500 capacity car park will be reduced to 709 spaces.
Legal and General House, in St Monicas Road, Kingswood, sits within 19 hectares in the green belt nestled about a kilometre from the boundary of Surrey Hills with the designs following a previously approved 2019 application.
Key changes included more market housing and the leisure facility that will feature playing courts and a sports pavilion available for public use.
The Wednesday September 9 planning committee at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council heard the development was needed to fund the repairs of the grade 2* listed building and ensure its future occupancy.
To the disappointment of the committee, the developers said it was unable to provide on-site affordable housing as it would have made the project unaffordable.
Councillor Sam Walsh (Conservative: Banstead Village) said: “I wouldn’t have listed it, if anything, I’d have demolished it. It’s an absolutely awful building.
“Its a dreadful blot on the landscape but actually the application we have in front of us, notwithstanding the points of the viability, bringing more into use and the standalone leisure facility. I think is important for the community.”
He added that the plans “turned around a pretty revolting design of the excesses of the 80s and 90s to quiet a sophisticated residential development.”
Cllr Michael Blacker (Conservative: Reigate) said: “I think we’ve got to welcome the development and the housing and I’m very pleased to see they were going to put a sports centre in, whether its David Lloyd or not.
“I think that will be a very good feature and I hope it will be well used.”
Chris Caulfield Local Democracy Reporter
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Image: Legal and General House, where the DC movie Wonder Woman was filmed, will be turned into housing (image RBBC)