The Wells Centre, situated in the heart of the Wells Estate in Epsom, was a much-loved and valued community centre for the people who accessed its vibrant services. It was the home of a large number of events for the elderly and it served the Wells Estate for many years.
Then in late 2015, it was closed – for good. By Epsom and Ewell Borough Council.
It would be demolished for 23 flats.
This immediately caused uproar within the local community and in the four years following the decision many have fought the centre’s demolition in the form of the Save the Wells Centre campaign.
The Council cited financial unviability, Government housing targets and a lack of demand as reasons for the closure of the site. However, those involved in the campaign refuted all of these claims, suggesting that similar centres across Surrey were thriving, and that sound management would provide viability - management the Council had failed to provide. They went on to say that successive Housing Secretaries confirmed that no Housing Inspector would demand the demolition of such a community asset for such a small number of flats. The campaign also refutes that there was a lack of demand for the centre, saying that the Residents Association own Councillors’ had admitted that other nearby centres were oversubscribed.
Residents are outraged at the proposals of the Council to build 23 flats, a new Community Hall, playground, associated landscaping and car parking. They believe the flats to be completely incongruent with the estate and the playground and new community hall as token gestures which will never be fit for purpose.
As the fight for the future of the Wells Centre is set to enter its fifth year, many fear that with planning stages wrapping up, it may not be long until the Centre is demolished.
