Newsletter - Wed 6 Sep, 2023

In this issue...

• Tributes have been paid to a Reigate-based police officer, Hannah Byrne, 22, who died last week on holiday in Corfu.

• The latest five-year land supply figure from the borough council shows there's currently no need to release a dozen parcels of formerly green belt land around the borough ("sustainable urban extensions") for development. But the report (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) also notes that average house prices in the borough are currently around 14 times average earnings, well ahead of the English average of roughly 8 times.

• A display (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) about Anne Lister's visit to Reigate nearly 200 years ago, based on her diary, is running at the library until September.

Tributes paid to police officer who died on holiday

Tributes have been paid to a 22 year-old police officer based at Reigate who died whilst on holiday in Corfu, Greece, on Friday 1 September.

PC Hannah Byrne joined Surrey Police in March last year and was part of the neighbourhood policing team.

Her family said in a tribute: "Our beloved Hannah was beautiful inside and out. She was extremely kind, funny, caring and had a real zest for life.  She will be greatly missed by all who loved her.”

Chief Superintendent Chris Colley, divisional commander for East Surrey, said: “Hannah’s death has been a shock for everyone who knew her. She was a bright, enthusiastic and respected officer just at the start of her career in policing and she will be sadly missed. As a force, we are now doing everything we can to support her family and her colleagues at this extremely difficult time.”

An investigation into the circumstances of Hannah's death is being led by authorities in Greece, Surrey Police said on Tuesday.

• Photos of Hannah Byrne via Surrey Police

Sufficient land supply means no release of urban extensions for now

• The "sustainable urban extensions" in Reigate and Redhill shown in blue diagonal hatching on this map from Reigate & Banstead Borough Council