Bookham & Dorking Masterplan
The final versions of the Bookham and Dorking Masterplans were approved as council documents by the Mole Valley Cabinet at a meeting on 16 April.
The Council thanks all those who took part in the consultation on the draft masterplans, which took place between October and December 2024. The final versions take into account the views expressed during the consultation on the draft masterplans.
The Dorking and Bookham masterplans will act as project banks to bring in external funding for the specific projects as the council can now demonstrate each project is part of a plan and the projects have community support.
The masterplans were produced by a team led by AR Urbanism (ARU) – a specialist urban design agency – and comprised Steer (transport), Chilmark Consulting (planning), Next Phase (markets), and Hypha Studios (vacant space reuse).
The studies were funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
For Bookham
The masterplan study focuses on the High Street and village centre, including Lower Shott, as well as key locations in the wider area.
The study scope includes considering ideas for: improving streets and public spaces, encouraging walking and cycling, and redeveloping or enhancing allocated sites.
The evidence base behind the masterplan includes:
- Bookham Baseline Report (June 2024)
- Draft Bookham Masterplan Consultation Version (October 2024)
- Draft Bookham Masterplan Schedule of Electronic Reponses (December 2024)
- Draft Bookham Masterplan Schedule of Written Representations (December 2024)
- Bookham Consultation Feedback Report (December 2024)
For Dorking
The masterplan study focuses on the central area of the town.
The study scope includes considering ideas for: improving streets and public spaces, reusing vacant buildings, encouraging walking and cycling, reducing the impact of traffic, improving accessibility for all and better connecting the railway stations.
The evidence base behind the masterplan includes:
- Dorking Baseline Report (June 2024)
- Draft Dorking Masterplan Consultation Version (October 2024)
- Draft Dorking Masterplan Schedule of Electronic Reponses (December 2024)
- Draft Dorking Masterplan Schedule of Written Representations (December 2024)
- Dorking Consultation Feedback Report (December 2024)
- Dorking West Street Repairs Closure Data Analysis (January 2025)
FAQs
While Leatherhead is the largest commercial centre in Mole Valley, Transform Leatherhead is already focused on the town’s regeneration and opportunities for improvement.
Dorking and Bookham are also well-established centres, with Dorking being the second-largest commercial hub, and Bookham, along with adjoining Fetcham, home to the largest concentration of residents in the District.
The consultants and the council listened to residents and community groups prior to the main consultation. Then, the main consultation included:
- A dedicated page on the Mole Valley website which received 6,571 clicks
- An email outreach programme sent to 162 participants
- 36 posters were distributed (16 in Mole Valley car parks and 20 elsewhere)
- 4 banners were installed: 2 in Bookham (the Lower Road Recreation Ground and the Chrystie Recreation Ground) and 2 in Dorking (Meadowbank playground and Southside car park footpath
- Social Media generated 858 clicks
- There were three mentions in the Leader’s weekly statement
- A press release was picked up by Surrey Liver and BBC Surrey, leading to an interview with Councillor Margaret Cooksey on BBC Breakfast
- Stakeholder Communication Packs were distributed to local stakeholders with additional promoition by the Bookhams Residents’ Association and Councillor Monica Weller
- Online event invitations were sent to 80 local groups, organisations and institutions, including schools and parish councils.
Responses
| Bookham | Dorking | |
| Attendees at the launch event | 164 | 73 |
| Written feedback forms | 43 | 36 |
| Online comments before deadline | 225 | 975 |
| Online comments after deadline | 4 | 3 |
| Emails/letter received | 0 | 3 |
| Attendees at online meeting | 7 | 6 |
| 443 | 1,096 |
Council officers and the consultants were overseen by two steering groups: one for Bookham and one for Dorking.
The Bookham steering group comprised three Mole Valley Bookham councillors, the County Councillor and representatives of the Bookhams Residents’ Association.
The Dorking steering group comprised three Mole Valley Dorking councillors, the County Councillors and representatives of the Dorking Business Improvement District.
The Council and the consultants and the steering groups for Bookham and Dorking reviewed the responses and made the changes to the masterplans that, on balance, they felt were necessary. The Dorking steering group also considered the data that had been gathered during the closure of West Street.
The masterplans will not have any formal status (i.e. formal planning document) but will be technical studies that can be used by the Council and others to support bids for funding and to inform future corporate strategies.
