Surrey County Council secures long-term rental income from former administrative building

Consort House in Redhill, a former Surrey County Council administrative building is being released as an entire building letting as agreed at Cabinet on 23 July 2024. The decision ensures the property in Redhill town centre can provide a long-term rental income stream as an investment property.  The property has been empty since 2022 and has been actively marketed as a freehold property but no acceptable commercial proposals for a freehold sale have been received.  

Natalie Bramhall, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Property, Waste and Infrastructure said: “Against a backdrop of a commercially depressed office market and with annual running costs associated with an empty property, it is sensible that Surrey County Council has endeavoured to secure a tenant who can provide us with a long-term rental income on this property. This letting would be the largest office transaction in Redhill and Reigate for over two years.” 

It is proposed to target an early Autumn handover of the building and have all leasing matters concluded by that time.  The proposed new tenant is a significant provider of services supporting Surrey communities.  

One of the existing tenants of Consort House has been Redhill Library who temporarily relocated there due to the discovery of RAAC in December 2023 at it’s Warwick Quadrant location. The plan remains to continue to repair and refurbish the existing Redhill Library space at Warwick Quadrant to provide a modernised fit for the future library provision. As approved by SCC Cabinet in June 2023.  

In the meantime, an interim Redhill Library location has already been identified locally during the move out of Consort House in Autumn 2024.  Further announcements and updates regarding the alternative Redhill library location will be shared via the Redhill Library web page. when appropriate.  

Denise Turner Stewart, Surrey County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities said: “We know how important our libraries are for our residents in Surrey. Not only providing books, but a place to meet others, gain computer and WIFI access. A place for all ages old and young to come to together. This is why we will strive to ensure the residents of Redhill will continue to have a library provision in their area with as little disruption as possible, providing the level of library service they expect from Surrey Libraries.” 

Notes to editors:

The lettable space at Consort House is 26,699 sq. ft in Redhill town centre.