A rotten borough turned school
Before the Reform Act of 1832, Gatton returned two members of Parliament despite having only a handful of electors, a striking example of the unequal representation the reform was designed to end. Its parkland is now home to a boarding school rather than any parliamentary history.
Barely a village at all
With no real centre, a couple of farms and a small number of houses, Gatton has little in common with the towns and larger villages elsewhere in this area, and garage conversion enquiries here are more likely to involve a farmhouse or a rural property than a typical suburban semi.
Reigate and Banstead's borough
Gatton falls within Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, the same authority that covers Reigate, sitting just to its north on the edge of the North Downs.
Frequently asked questions
What was Gatton historically known for?+
Being one of England's rotten boroughs before the Reform Act of 1832, returning two members of Parliament despite having only a handful of electors.
Is Gatton a village in the usual sense?+
Not really. It has no real centre, just a small number of houses, farms and parkland, most of which is now occupied by a boarding school.
Nearby areas
Services
Useful local links
- Reigate and Banstead Borough Council – Planning — The planning authority covering Reigate itself, along with Redhill, Horley, Banstead and several nearby villages.
- Mole Valley District Council – Do I need planning permission — The planning authority covering Dorking, Ashtead, Leatherhead and several villages southwest of Reigate.
- Epsom and Ewell Borough Council – Planning permission — The planning authority covering Epsom, a separate borough from Reigate and Banstead.
- Tandridge District Council – Planning and building — The planning authority covering Caterham, Nutfield and South Nutfield.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions and extensions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.