Council Approves £437,000 Funding Boost in Foundry and Church Street Redevelopment
The planning application for the redevelopment of the Foundry and Church Street workshops was approved on the 3 September 2025 by the MVDC Development Management Committee, receiving unanimous support. Cabinet then recommended the project and the Council decided to approve additional funds to advance the redevelopment further on 14th October 2025.
The project aims to deliver sustainable housing and revitalised commercial space whilst also balancing several environmental, social and economic impacts. Plans are designed to respect the heritage of the area and to be zero-carbon ready, featuring solar panels, air source heat pumps and EV chargers, as well as gardens and planting to enhance the site's biodiversity.
The proposed scheme includes four family homes, one apartment, and two flexible commercial units with parking and landscaping.
On the redevelopment, Lib Dem Cabinet Member for Sustainable Economy, Paula Keay said:
"This is an important project for Dorking and will deliver sustainable housing in the town centre as well as revitalised commercial space to support businesses in Dorking’s antiques and museum quarter".
Redevelopment of the site is included within the Mole Valley Local Plan, with key priorities to deliver new, high-quality housing to the district in a sustainable way and to support the local economy with high-quality commercial units and increased footfall for the town centre.