Opportunity Dorking Redevelopment

On 17 October 2023 the Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) Cabinet approved a recommendation to progress the next stage of the Opportunity Dorking redevelopment of the Foundry and Church Street workshops, to proceed to Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage 3* (planning application stage).

The plans to redevelop the Foundry site have been in discussion since 2014, later widened to include the Church Street workshops, with proposals for a mixed use redevelopment including workshop and residential units. It is anticipated that the redevelopment project will be carried out by MVDC.

After working with external architects and consulting with key stakeholders, MVDC has concluded its work on RIBA Stage 2 (concept design stage). Cabinet approval now allows for progression to Stage 3.

The project team will now develop designs ready for submission of a planning application, expected to be in Spring 2024.

Councillor Clayton Wellman, MVDC’s Cabinet Member for Sustainable Economy, said: “The approval to take this project to RIBA Stage 3 brings forward the opportunity to provide town centre homes and workshop units on a brownfield site, and enhance this heritage quarter of Dorking to reflect the historical status of the site.”

For further information see the Foundry & Church Street Redevelopment webpage.

For full details on the recommendation see the Cabinet Report.

*The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Plan of Work organises the process of briefing, designing, constructing and operating building projects into eight stages and explains the stage outcomes, core tasks and information exchanges required at each stage.