Caterham's old Post Office building could be demolished and residents aren't happy

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The Victorian building in Station Avenue has been empty since 2014

Residents have expressed anger over plans for Caterham Valley's former Post Office building to be demolished.

The Victorian building has remained vacant since the Post Office relocated from Station Avenue to within the Co-op store on Croydon Road four years ago.



The Caterham Masterplan - which sets out a vision for regenerating the town centre - will see the building demolished. There has been an outpouring of anger at the suggestion on social media, with a Facebook discussion generating more than 600 comments, many of which call for it to be saved.

Ideas around how to preserve it include turning it into a cinema or it being redeveloped inside while retaining the facade.

Iain Sycamore, 40, of Banstead Road, is among those who want it to be saved from demolition.

He said: "I like the old Post Office but it's the fact they want to take it and the shops next to it down that's getting a lot of attention and anger from some who don't want it to happen.

"They shouldn't redevelop along the current plans until further consultation and there needs to be some form of public meeting. There is a feeling by the public of being ignored and seeing the plans was quite a shock to me."

He said he was surprised the unit had remained empty for so long but suggested the cost of renting it may be a major factor. Mr Sycamore added: "The problem is, no-one is coming up with any good suggestions other than it being a cinema."

The ground floor and basement of the building have been marketed by Reigate-based Rayners Commercial since October last year.


Cllr Beverly Connelly and Caterham resident Andy Parr outside the old Post Office building (Image: Grant Melton)
The current rent price is £40,000 per annum for just the ground floor or £45,000 including the basement.

Alex Mullett, of Rayners Commercial, said: "It wasn't marketed before as far as we're aware as the owner was seeing what he wanted to do with it. It's had a fair amount of interest but it's a big old building and they do take a bit of time [to find tenants]."

The building includes flats upstairs but according to Rayners Commercial they are not yet being marketed.

Councillor Beverley Connelly, who represents the Harestone ward on Tandridge District Council, said: "It's a weird and wonderful building. It would take a lot of money to convert it into anything purposeful. They say it could be used as a cinema but it's not big enough inside so they can't do anything similar to the site in Oxted.


"It's a bit of a mess on the inside but it's got character on the outside and it's not massive so I think they would have to redevelop it to maximise the space. Everyone is getting concerned about the building but I would like to see a public group that has an idea of what to do with it crowd fund to turn it into a community asset."

A Tandridge District Council spokeswoman said the Caterham Masterplan, inlcuding the proposed demolition of the old Post Office building, was consulted on in April 2017 and again in November 2017, and both times it was widely publicised.

She added that the masterplan is simply a set of guidelines for any developers to follow when submitting planning applications.

"The council is committed to the delivery of the Caterham Masterplan to create opportunities for the two Caterham town centres [the valley and on the hill]. It is about ensuring a good partnership approach and this includes many different parties at many different stages. We are still at the beginning of this long-term plan for Caterham and there are many opportunities for anyone to assist in ensuring the Caterham Masterplan is delivered."