Tandridge Council has resolved to grant planning permission for a new Audley Villages integrated retirement community in Lingfield, Surrey. The site is currently owned by national charity, Young Epilepsy.
The new village will safeguard the future of the charity by securing a sustainable long-term future for Young Epilepsy’s special education services (St Piers Residential School and College), while rejuvenating the St Pier’s estate.
The joint plans include the removal and reuse of vacant and underused buildings, refurbishment and expansion of College facilities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, as well as the restoration of heritage assets, including two Grade II Listed buildings within the St. Pier’s Estate.
The new retirement village will provide around 150 specialist retirement living units and be home to the Audley Club, which will include a restaurant, spa, gym and wellness studio. Once complete, the village will also offer care and wellbeing services to property owners and members of the local community.
The plan incorporates significant sustainable elements including the use of energy efficient building materials and renewable energy sources as well as a significant biodiversity net gain within the restored gardens.
Matthew Nicholson, Planning Director, Audley Group, said,
“Young Epilepsy is an important national charity, and Tandridge District Council rightly recognised the importance of securing its legacy, as well as the need for specialist retirement housing with care and wellbeing facilities on site. Lingfield Grange will be another historic site in the Audley portfolio and we look forward to restoring the estate with our usual care and vision.
“The demand for more innovative housing solutions is only growing and this new village and site restoration will grow the local economy while offering significant benefit to the community.”
Mark Devlin, Chief Executive at Young Epilepsy, said:
“Young Epilepsy’s presence and specialist services for children and young people have been at the heart of the community for over 125 years and we are delighted that Tandridge District Council has resolved to grant planning permission for our proposed redevelopment at the St Piers estate. Working together with Audley Group, we believe the plans present an opportunity for investment in the growth and improvement of the historic estate.
"This milestone unlocks a raft of essential measures that are desperately needed to ensure we can remain a valued part of the community and continue to work with our staff to support St Piers’ students now and for the long term."
About Young Epilepsy
Young Epilepsy is a registered charity in England and Wales (no. 311877) and is the operating name for the National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy (NCYPE) at St Piers Lane, Lingfield, Surrey. RH7 6PW.
We provide a range of health and support services for children and young people with epilepsy and related conditions. Young Epilepsy supports children and young people across the UK through our on-line and outreach services, our campaigning and policy work and our information services.
We offer specialist diagnostic and rehabilitation services from our healthcare facility in Lingfield, Surrey. We carry out research into childhood epilepsies in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital, and UCL GOS Institute of Child Health.
About epilepsy:
There are over 100,000 children and young people in the UK living with epilepsy. Epilepsy is one of the most common long-term conditions that affects children.
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that disrupts the normal electrical activity our brains use to communicate with the rest of the body. This disruption causes seizures. There are over 40 different types of seizure and every young person’s epilepsy is unique to them. In order to be diagnosed with epilepsy, a young person must have had at least two seizures. In most cases, epilepsy is well managed, and seizures are controlled, but it is a very serious condition and can be life-threatening.
About St Piers School and College
St Piers School is a non-maintained special residential school for pupils aged five to nineteen, and St Piers College is a unique residential and day college for students aged nineteen to twenty-five. Both are It is wholly owned and operated by Young Epilepsy.
We are an innovative and creative school and college for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. We believe learning is much more than the classroom. It is a nurturing journey of discovery in which students grow, find their independence, and thrive now and in the future.
As well as offering a first-class education, we provide exceptional residential care, medical facilities, sensory therapies and more. Every child receives the care and support they need in an environment that creates belonging and a sense of purpose.
In 2022, we celebrated the 125th anniversary of St Piers.
A local treasure with international impact. Alongside the School and College, the St Piers campus is also home to Young Epilepsy’s renowned health and medical research facility. Together we’ve made a huge contribution to educational innovation and medical breakthroughs over the past century.
St Piers is run by the charity the National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy (NCYPE) trading as Young Epilepsy, charity number 311877.
