Towards the northwestern edge of Surrey, just south of the London borough of Croydon, sits the town of Redhill. A town developed through the Victorian railway system, Redhill maintains its status as a vital commuter town in Surrey’s satellite belt. With countless Victorian terraced townhouses and detached suburban double-fronted properties; Redhill continues to be an enticing attraction for London’s commuter population, and is a popular development spot.

Redhill, in comparison to other villages and towns throughout Britain, is a relatively new settlement. Suburban development first began in 1818, when the turnpike road between Reigate and Merstham was created, shortly accompanied by the London-Brighton road. Thirty years later, in 1841, came the development of the London-Brighton Railway line. This railway service built a station at what is now the centre of Redhill in July of 1841. The railway line massively encouraged development in the Redhill locale and is the genesis for its reputation as one of Surrey’s core commuter towns throughout the northern strip!

One might be mistaken that due to its short life-span, Redhill lacks historical longevity or intrigue. However, Redhill should be understood as a vital representation of the golden railway age and industrial age of Britain during the mid-to-late Victorian era. Many Victorian and Edwardian houses still dot Redhill’s streets today, fiercely protected by local residents, and are a vivid reminder of the not-so-distant past in Britain!

Redhill’s commuter reputation and proliferation of buildings from the 1800s means that is is an often highly sought after and competitive housing and development market. The market in this area is often highly priced, with a suburban detached home averaging at around £1 million. However, the Reigate and Barnstead’s adopted local plan the council has adopted an “urban first” approach to spatial planning, focusing heavily on the centre of Redhill for housing and infrastructural development, particularly for social and affordable housing. Outside of the urban areas of this borough, the council has allocated provisions for the construction of over 1,600 new homes in the locale, meaning housing and infrastructural development in the locale is booming!