A major town centre regeneration project in Camberley, Surrey, has reached a significant milestone after the demolition of a long-vacant former department store and surrounding derelict buildings. The cleared site will make way for hundreds of new homes as part of Surrey Heath Borough Council's ambitious plans.
Demolition Complete on London Road and High Street
The former Allders building, once a bustling department store, has been reduced to rubble. Demolition work on London Road and parts of the High Street began in November 2025, with contractors first removing asbestos from the site to ensure safe dismantling. The project was completed without any accidents, and all materials were recycled at a specialist facility.
550 Homes Planned for the Site
The cleared land has been earmarked for a major redevelopment that could deliver up to 550 homes. This forms part of the council's wider vision for Camberley town centre. The regeneration scheme is backed by £1.4 million from the Government's Brownfield Land Release Fund, awarded to Surrey Heath Borough Council in October 2024.
Councillor Kel Finan-Cooke, portfolio holder for property and economic development, praised the contractor Collard Group for the safe and effective delivery of the project. He stated: "Completing these works on schedule and to a high standard is a great achievement, particularly given the complexity of operating within a town centre setting. The removal of these buildings makes the site significantly more attractive to prospective developers, supporting our ambitions to drive regeneration and bring forward improvements for Camberley town centre."
End of an Era for Camberley
The demolition marks the end of an era for one of Camberley's best-known buildings. Originally constructed in the early 1900s as the home of James Page, a popular department store that later became Allders, the site was a focal point of the town centre during its heyday in the 1990s. However, after the collapse of the Allders chain in 2005, the building stood largely vacant for nearly two decades, becoming a symbol of the town centre's decline.
With the demolition now complete, attention turns to the next stage of redevelopment. The council's Local Plan identifies the site as a key location for hundreds of new homes and wider town centre improvements. The project is part of ongoing efforts to revitalise Camberley and bring new life to an area that has remained largely unused for two decades.
