Deepcut housing estate to get Asda and sports hub

A new sports hub and a supermarket have been approved as part of the redevelopment of a former army barracks in Surrey.

The former Princess Royal Barracks site, in Deepcut, which occupies one of the key development areas in Surrey Heath, is being redeveloped with plans for 1,200 homes and a primary school.

A meeting last week of Surrey Heath Borough Council's planning committee agreed proposals for a sports hub, including pitches, a multi-use games area, playgrounds, and an outdoor gym, and a convenience store.

Councillor Kevin Thompson said the sport hub will be a “very extensive set of facilities for the area”.

Councillors said the leisure facilities would be “for the benefit of the community as a whole”.

The council also wants to build a pavilion with changing areas, showers and kitchen, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Plans to build 1,200 homes, a primary school and various community and retail amenities on the former Princess Royal Barracks were given permission in 2014.

The council said it was unable to find a retailer to take on the 2,000sq/m store originally planned for the housing estate.

A smaller Asda Express will open instead. It will be about three quarters of the size of the Sainsbury’s Local in nearby Heatherside.

The council said a larger store was no longer needed due to “significant changes” in the food sector since the original application was submitted.

“The purpose of the facilities is primarily to serve the Mindenhurst development, that’s what it’s there for,” said a planning officer.

“In the first instance this is for Deepcut, but I think as time goes by, it’s like all sports facilities throughout the borough, it’s a benefit to the community as a whole.”

Councillor Kevin Thompson said the sport hub will be a “very extensive set of facilities for the area”

It will also include parking for coaches and buses to allow visiting teams to use the pitches.

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