A fire-destroyed self-storage centre in West Byfleet, where hundreds of families suffered insurmountable losses, will be rebuilt.

Access Self Storage burned down in 2023 destroying almost everything inside its 480 units -with only 24 items recovered from the ashes.

As well as the devastating losses suffered by customers the firm was said to have lost millions in revenue following the closure.

At the Tuesday, November 11, meeting of Woking Borough Council’s planning committee, the firm was granted permission to build a new, larger, storage facility on the Oyster Lane site.

The building has already been demolished  and cleared – with just the the hardstanding base remaining.

In its place will be a new larger storage depot, open 24 hours, with the old affixed Halford’s and Screwfix sites being swallowed up.

The building will be spread across three floors covering approximately 3,500 sqm and proposed to accommodate about 500 storage units. It will  measure 61 metres in length and stand 70 metres wide with a maximum height of 11 metres.

The added bulk, and closer proximity to homes, caused concerns among residents nearby not least over fears another fire could spread.

A speaker against the plans said: “There are concerns arising from the development size and closeness to residential properties.

“It may increase potential risk in the event of a future possible incident.”

He added that it would create an oppressive feel along the road  and that  its colour was out of keeping with the surrounding area.

The developers said that “in terms of fire safety, nobody was more concerned” over whether another incident would happen again.

Their agent said: “They had 491 very unhappy customers and to date have lost £3.5m in revenue, which is a figure that is rising.

“They have submitted with the application a fire safety report.”

The meeting heard that, as well as being up to fire safety codes, the storage units would be 25.5m to the nearest homes, with a six metre strip of new landscaping creating further separation. 

Councillor Chris Martin (Liberal Democrat: Pyrford) said: “ It’s a big old bulk in comparison with how it used to be.”

He added: “It’s really going to impede the view from the windows of those living opposite the site, the mass and bulk right on the road front, moved forward from where it used to be seems a bit of  a land grab.

“They obviously have to make their profits but at what costs I fear for the view out the window the residents will have.”

Planners said the soft landscaping at the designated industrial site would make a significant difference and meant it was not an unacceptable or harmful proposal.

Cllr Louise Morales (Liberal Democrat: Hoe Valley) said the committee needed to understand it was an industrial estate, and had been for quite a long time – and therefore people nearby needed to expect industrial developments to take place.