Woodcote (Epsom) Residents Society

The Society’s AGM is taking place next Tuesday 10 March at 7.30pm at the Queens Stand, Epsom Racecourse.

Please attend if you can.

The year ahead is going to be a challenging and vitally important one for Epsom & Ewell and we will be taking the opportunity at the AGM to update you on how the local government reform is going to affect Epsom & Ewell, where the Local Plan has got to; all the planning applications and appeals on the horizon and the arrangements for this years’ Derby weekend.

This may well be the last AGM the Society holds as we will be asking Residents to agree our merger with College and Town Wards to form a unified RA to reflect the new Town and Downs Division of the new unitary authority. Steven McCormick and Kim Spickett, our two prospective candidates in the unitary elections in May, will both be speaking at the Meeting.

Only the RA candidates can be depended upon to represent your priorities and preserve the Green Belt in our area, if the recent Langley Bottom Farm scheme refusal by the Planning Committee is anything to go, and we know that we have further fights ahead in the months and years to come.

We are going to continue to need your support if the RA is going to be able to ensure that your voices are heard on the new unitary council and preserve the character of the town and surrounds we live in and value.

Without your subscription we will be more limited in how we can support you in the year ahead so if you haven’t already paid your subscription please consider doing so.

You can find the AGM papers here and how to pay your subscription here.

We hope very much to see you on the 10th and to hear about your priorities and top concerns/worries for the year ahead.

If you can’t attend we hope you have received our new format newsletter through your door and will take the time to read it.

Woodcote (Epsom) Residents’ Society

We are pleased to say work has finally started on the new footbridge at Castle Road. Work will continue until the end of July 2026.

The first task is to establish a temporary hard surface at the Castle Road end to prevent heavy equipment sinking into the ground.

The new steel bridge has been built offsite and will be lifted into position using a crane after the existing supports have been strengthen/rebuilt. Once in place the utilities currently running on temporary supports will be moved onto the new bridge. When that is complete Network Rail will resurface the footpath and improve the local drainage.

National Rail have given notice that some of the work may take place at night when trains aren’t running and that a temporary parking suspension will be in place along the full length of Castle Road and that there will be temporary closures of the footpaths at Evelyn Way and Willows Path.

You can sign up here to receive updates as the work progresses.

For more information you can visit www.networkrail.co.uk or telephone the 24hr helpline on 03457 11 41 41 quoting “Information request “Castle Road, Epsom”.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council voted to proceed to the second stage of its community governance.

They have launched a second consultation which will run until 1 February 2026.It asks residents to let them know if they want two new community councils – Epsom Community Council and Ewell Community Council.

If created two councils would be funded through an additional council tax charge known as a pre-cept estimated at £43.52-$46.15 per year for a Band D property.

Initially the Councils would be responsible for allotments and would be statutory consultees on planning matters. They could take on responsibility for more services in the future if the new Unitary Council agrees. This could include parks, playgrounds and community centre.

More details are available here.

You can respond to the consultation here.

Epsom and Ewell Times’s report on the Council’s debate and voting is here: