Businesses in and around the Surrey commuter village have suffered as a result of the restricted traffic flow
Godstone High Street is reopening this Friday (July 31), a year and a half – or 528 days to be exact – after a giant 19 metre long and 3 metre wide sinkhole forced it to close. The High Street of the Surrey village, near to M25 Junction 6 and just south of the Croydon border, has been split in half ever since.
East Surrey MP Claire Coutinho posted on Facebook to say she has received confirmation that the road will reopen at the end of this week. SES Water, which is carrying out the tail end of the repair works, has confirmed this reopening date to our sister site Surrey Live, saying the project is in its “last stages”.
Ms Coutinho said: “This seemingly never-ending saga has dragged on for nearly eighteen months, and while I am sure no one is in the mood for celebrations, I hope the reopening will allow people to get back to their lives.
“But ultimately, lessons must be learnt from this incident. With the liability assessment to come, I will continue to ask questions and push for answers.”
The road closure started on February 18, 2025, when part of Godstone High Street collapsed – forcing the evacuation of several nearby homes. The sinkhole is believed to have been caused by a burst water main.
Businesses in the vicinity have also suffered as a result of the restricted traffic flow, with many owners pleading for additional tax relief to see them through the disruption.
Surrey County Council transport lead Councillor Matt Furniss (Conservative: Shalford) said: “I am delighted that our work to repair and resurface the roads affected by the Godstone road collapse was completed earlier this month.
“SES works remain ongoing and the reopening date for Godstone High Street will be determined by their completion date.
“I would like to thank residents and businesses for their patience while we have dealt with this challenging incident. Fundamentally, our focus has always been on getting this right to ensure the area is safe and stable for local people, and those travelling through the area.”
An SES Water spokesperson said: “We are pleased to confirm that Godstone High Street will reopen on Friday 31st July in liaison with Surrey County Council.
“We are now completing the last stages of our project ahead of leaving the site ahead of the road reopening.
“We understand the impact of these works and we would like to thank everyone for their continued patience and understanding.”
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