CBCT - About Us

Caterham Barracks was a Depot used by the Guards until 1990 when it was declared redundant by the MOD. Local councillors at that time, Dick Moran & Robin Clements, saw the redevelopment of Caterham Barracks as a potential regeneration site for Westway, then one of the poorest wards in the District and at the same time for the larger community of Caterham-on-the-Hill. To preserve the buildings and to stimulate more sympathetic development, these local councillors spearheaded a campaign to make the site a Conservation Area, which required widespread local consultation. The consultation was extensive and highly productive resulting in a Government inspired Urban Design award and later, after the site had been sold, a Community Planning weekend organised by the developers, Linden Homes, which attracted positive contributions from over 1000 people. As a consequence, the developer is committed to meeting the principles of an Urban Village offering a viable balance of employment opportunities, community facilities and homes.

With the assistance of the local authority, Tandridge District Council, a Caterham Barracks Local Group was set up to build upon the Planning weekend. It was sustained until replaced by the Caterham Barracks Community Trust. Under the auspices of the Local Group more than 100 volunteers worked in a series of Working Groups to produce a 'local view' of the way in which the site should be developed, eliminating unreal or unreasonable aspirations as part of the process. The seven working groups included a land use group, a young people's group, a heritage group, an environment group, an arts and recreation group, an employment and enterprise group and, finally, a 'community management organisation' group. Pulling together the deliberations of the working groups, the Local Group produced a series of recommendations which were addressed by the developer and, by negotiation, incorporated in what is called a 'Section 106 Agreement' drawn up with the Local Authority. The developer is contributing in excess of £2 million pounds in buildings and money to this project.

The Community Barracks Trust has been set up to manage this opportunity on behalf of local people. Its representation is derived solidly from local people and the constitution of the Trust seeks to guarantee a continuing accountability and responsiveness to local needs.

The aim has been to ensure that the development of the Barracks will accord with the needs of the wider area, by providing complementary facilities. Needs have been identified where deficiencies currently exist in Caterham-on-the-Hill and new facilities will be provided within the Barracks site, giving local people greater access and helping to reduce the need to travel in the wider locality. In effect this translated the councillors' vision of creating quality opportunities for work, play and residence within an urban village environment by empowering local people to debate, influence and ultimately manage the final shape of that environment.

A very early success of this approach is the CR3 youth project. It was started following a Youth Conference attended by 70+ young people and their views were incorporated in the thinking of the embryo Trust. A temporary skatepark was opened in one of the redundant gyms and the project has seen more than 6,000 young people walk through the doors in two and a half years. 450+ attend the club every week. A scheme, drawn up with the support of the young people and an architect to produce a feasibility study for a permanent facility has been completed. Young people have been involved in every step of the process and the success of the different elements of the project will depend on the information extracted from every member as they join the club - an important feature of this whole process of community consultation. The 'park' has now moved to the Grade 2 Listed Chapel - a novel use for a redundant church - and its success can be seen on www.skaterham.com

The objectives of Caterham Barracks Community Trust are simply to facilitate and manage the development of a range of sustainable and high quality community facilities and activities, which maximise the benefit to the local community. Registered as a charity, the Trust produces newsletters to keep the local people informed of recent developments. Its efforts and the quality of its processes were recognised by BURA (the British Urban Regeneration Association) in the form of a special award in December 2000 and by the New Local Government Network as an example of best practice in Public/Private Partnerships.

The Trust takes a very strategic view about the development process and has prepared a development and funding plan to support the business plan. This ensures that best use is made of resources and that it manages the development of its assets in a planned and structured manner over the long term.

In addition to the very successful youth project the Trust has prioritised the development of the Gyms into a high quality Arts and Recreation Centre; consultation with interested parties has already taken place. Two Lottery bids (one Arts & one Heritage) have failed because this is not an area which qualifies readily for benevolent funding.

A junior football club (Caterham Pumas) was formed, it now has eleven teams (boys and girls) and has used the playing fields at the Barracks as its home base since September 2000. Future developments include conversion of the NAAFI into a Bistro / Wine Bar, Nursery and office accommodation, facilities for cricket, a children's play area, community farm (Downlands Management Project) and nature reserve and an Enterprise Centre.