THE redevelopment of Sainsbury's in Redhill will go ahead.
That's the assurance from the borough council's planning chief after the authority granted the supermarket giant permission for three different redevelopment proposals: one with an enlarged London Road store, gym, 562-space car park and a 98-room hotel; one with a 70-room hotel; and one without a hotel at all.
Despite the lengthy and confusing planning process, councillor Natalie Bramhall, who is a member of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council's planning committee and the authority's cabinet member for property and regeneration, is confident the redevelopment will now move forward.
"It's been quite difficult for people to understand how the process came about," said the Redhill West councillor.
"First with the 98-bed hotel, then obviously that wasn't rolling along very well. But we're all committed to a Sainsbury's with all the Station Road improvements, with a 70-bed hotel.
"That's the plan. Everything else is the same, with the same number of car parking spaces and the same contributions to environmental improvements; it's all good and I believe things are moving forward quite quickly."
The borough council is now in discussions with Sainsbury's and partner Aviva to push the plans forward. Firstly, workers in Lombard House need to be relocated and the building demolished.
"I totally believe now that this is going to happen," added Cllr Bramhall. "It's been a difficult process because of the recession but I think we're now there."
