The Rose and Young site

Tandridge District Council has served a legal notice on the owners of the Rose and Young site in Caterham which will allow it to get ownership of the site using a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).  If the owner, Caterham Properties Ltd, does not object to the notice the ownership of the land will pass to the Council and the owner will receive market value for the site. 

The Council intends to use the CPO to acquire the site and pass ownership to CoPlan Estates Ltd, so work on the hotel scheme recently approved by the Council’s Planning Committee can start. This will provide a Premiere Inn hotel, a Beefeater Restaurant and a further retail unit for Caterham. CoPlan Estates Ltd is also continuing in its attempts to buy the site directly from the owner.

The site has been undeveloped for over 20 years and the Council wants to ensure redevelopment goes ahead, recognising residents and businesses are unhappy with the run down appearance of the land and building, as well as the site’s lack of contribution to the town centre.

If the owner objects to the CPO, a public inquiry will be held where an inspector will decide whether the Council should be able to buy the site.

Councillor Martin Fisher, Leader of the Council, said: “We have a responsibility to local residents to encourage investment to ensure the future vibrancy of Caterham. We are determined to push for development of this key site, which has been a blot on the landscape for so long. This is an example of the robust action we are prepared to take to support our town centres.”