The former William Hill at 88 High Street would become an education centre under plans lodged this week. Comments close on 24 September, decision by 27 October.

The former William Hill betting shop on Banstead High Street would be converted into an education centre under an application now open for comment.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council validated application 26/01396/CU on 1 September 2026. It covers the ground floor of 88 High Street, Banstead, SM7 2NN.

Comments close on 24 September. The council’s deadline to decide is 27 October 2026.

What is being asked for

The proposal is a change of use of the ground floor from a betting shop to a combined use, together with new signage and associated works. In planning terms that means moving the premises:

  • out of sui generis, the category betting shops sit in on their own
  • into Use Class E, the broad commercial, business and service class that covers shops, cafés, offices, gyms and clinics
  • and Use Class F.1(a), which is the provision of education

The applicant is Mathematical Dexterity Limited, a company incorporated in May 2022 and registered at Portmill Lane in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Companies House records its business as educational support services. The agent is 4D Planning of Paul Street, London.

The case officer is Matthew Holdsworth. The decision is expected to be taken by the Neighbourhood Development Manager rather than by the Planning Committee, which is the normal route for an application of this size.

Why the use class matters

The two classes being sought do different jobs, and the combination is deliberate.

Use Class E is broad and flexible. Once a premises is in it, many further changes, from a shop to an office to a gym, need no fresh planning permission at all. Use Class F.1(a) is narrower and covers education specifically.

Asking for both means the unit could operate as a tuition centre without giving up the wider commercial flexibility of Class E. It also means that if the education use ends, the shopfront would not automatically revert to gambling.

Betting shops are a category the planning system treats separately, precisely because councils have historically wanted a say over how many appear on a high street. Losing one from the parade is not something the council can force, but it is something it can record.

What it means for you

If you have a view, you can lodge it. The council’s consultation runs to 24 September 2026 and comments are published on the planning register.

  • Read the application and comment at the council’s planning portal, searching for reference 26/01396/CU
  • The address is 88 High Street, Banstead, in the Banstead Village ward
  • Objections and support both count, but only on planning grounds. Traffic, parking, noise, hours of operation, signage and the character of the shopping parade are material. Competition with an existing business is not.

We explain how the process works, and what the council can and cannot take into account, in our guide to Reigate planning applications.

Nothing has been decided. An application being validated means only that the council has accepted it as complete and started the clock. We will report the outcome.

Sources