A major land deal that could help redevelop two key Woking sites and “substantially improve” the bankrupt authority’s financial position has been approved.
Woking Borough Council has so far failed to push through planning permission to rebuild the Goldsworth Road Industrial Estate – even threatening to take itself to court after its own councillors refused the proposals.
Now one of the final hurdles has been overcome after a new, separate, site was sold to allow contracted tenants to move.
CMS House in nearby Poole Road will be split into two distinct sites. The north of the building will be used to rehouse tenants, understood to be Ceramic Design, and the south split and prepared for sale to an investor or rental, likely as storage or light industrial.
Council documents read: “The proposed disposal will facilitate the relocation of this tenant, which will enable the redevelopment of the Goldsworth Road Industrial Estate.
“The redevelopment of this estate will substantially improve the council’s financial position.
“The purchaser has a relocation clause in its existing lease at Goldsworth Road Industrial Estate, which means that relocating them is necessary to get vacant possession of their unit.”
The sale, councillors heard, will generate cash and improve Goldsworth Road Industrial Estate’s value.
It will also allow both sites to be modernised and more energy efficient.
In September, Woking Borough Council threatened to take itself to court for refusing its own planning application to tear down Goldsworth Industrial Estate and replace it with modern warehousing.
Cllr Dale Roberts, portfolio holder for asset regeneration, commented: “Ceramic Design leases a unit in Goldsworth Road Industrial Estate, itself in urgent need of redevelopment to meet minimum energy-efficiency standards, with some units not legally letable by 2026, and prospective developers would prefer, if not require, vacant possessions.”
Leader of the council, Cllr Ann-Marie Barker, said: “It does seem a very logical proposal given the need to move a tenant from the Goldsworth Road Industrial Estate.”
Work to transform CMS House is expected to take several months.