Society

News of Guildford Society activities and summaries of important issues at a local and national level.

We will publish in this area topics related to the society e.g. meetings and events.  We will also publish news on local and national developments that may be of interest. On occasion we may also publish an item that summarises developments across our areas of interest.

We publish news of general interest to the Guildford Society and summarise important issues that may occur accross our areas of interest.  Check back here to see updates on such matters as major sites in the town and national policy.

We will also publicise Society events in this area

We can now see the reality. View article The Solum scheme at Guildford Station emphasises the inappropriateness of high buildings in Guildford Centre. The first part of the Solum redevelopment has now been completed as the north block of dwellings on the station car park.  This bloc... View article Guildford Design Awards 2023 - Winners Announced View article The Guildford Design Awards, organised by The Guildford Society in partnership with Guildford Borough Council recognise and reward excellence in architecture, urban design, planning and public art across the borough. At a event in the Boatyard Gui... View article What is Happening to Our Town and Borough? View article As residents of Guildford it can be difficult to comprehend how the Town and the rest of the borough is being changed through the plethora of Building Schemes being discussed or actioned. How Guildford as a place evolves and changes is important to e... View article Strong Vision and Policies needed for the Town Centre View article Managing a consistent and integrated approach across proposed developments to develop a proper sense of place within the town is looking increasingly difficult. New developments are too often of poor design, and have height and scale that overpower e... View article Stag Hill development View article The Planning Committee are due to consider the Stag Hill Development that is proposing Housing on the South and Eastern slopes of Stag Hill leading up the Cathedral.  Refusal Recommended by GBC The plan is recommended for refusal by t... View article Shaping Guildford’s Future View article The Society has now reviewed the outputs of the Stage II of the Shaping Guildford’s Future Project. We are now publishing our critique, see the document, at the foot of the post.  The Critique has also been submitted to the council.&n... View article North Street Plans Rejected View article The Society continued to object to the proposed North Street plans due to a multiplicity of reasons chief of which was the overbearing Mass and Scale of the development and its impact on the character of Guildford.  You can find the final letter... View article St Mary's/ Debenhams Scheme a Poor Scheme Approved View article The council planning committee passed the planning application for the redevelopment of the Debenhams site in the Town centre by Six votes to Five last night with two abstentions.  Voting was along party lines, Residents for Guildford and Villag... View article Guildford Deserves Better View article The Society has written to all councillors making the following comments on the St Mary's/Debenehams application for redevelopment. Note sent to Councillors The Committee in its determination of the application to redevelop the Debenhams/St... View article Guildford Masterplan View article The Council Executive at its meeting on the 20th September 2022 approved the next stage to create a full Town Centre Masterplan (Shaping Guildford's Future). The webcast of the meeting and the supporting papers is available on the GBC W... View article Guildford Design Awards 2022/3 and Guildford Design Awards Exhibition. View article The Guildford Design Awards is a joint initiative between the Guildford Society and Guildford Borough Council, established to encourage and recognise good design in new buildings, restoration and conservation projects which ensure... View article Guildford - Walnut Tree Close View article As an experiment Walnut Tree Close is closed to through traffic southbound from the 29th May for six months, The road between Wey Corner and the Royal Mail Delivery Office is North bound only. Traffic is still allowed south to the Roayal Mail... View article Planning changing in England?? View article The government have produced the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill that supports the White Paper produced earlier in the year Levelling up the United Kingdom. Main Themes The Bill covers four main themes: Providing a legal basis for... View article St Marys Update View article The proposals for the redevelopment of the Debenhams site on the River Wey to form a new St Mary’s Wharf development continue to attract comment on the Guildford Borough Planning website.  Many support the application but those, includi... View article St Mary’s - Historic England Comment on Plans View article In a rare development Historic England has formally objected to the Debenhams redevelopment proposals. Historic England is the government body that looks after England's historic environment, including listing buildings, and reviews planning appl... View article St Mary’s Wharf Development - Objection Submitted View article The Society Today submitted an objection the currently proposed scheme for St Mary’s Wharf. The Society believes that the site is one of the most important sites to be brought forward for development in Guildford over the last few decades.&n... View article Guildford Architecture Lecture 2021 - Event Videos View article The Society, in conjuction with the University of Surrey held its Annual Architecture Lecture on the 20th October 2021. Providing quality multiple housing has a special importance for Guildford with several large new developments planned in the To... View article AQMA for the Town Centre View article The Joint Committee of Surrey County Council and Guildford Borough Council have reviewed a report on Town Centre Pollution.  The Committee agreed that to meet legislative requirements it is necessary to declare an ‘air quality management a... View article Guildford Society Letter on St Marys View article The Society has written to key members of the Council expressing our concerns at the proposed Debenhams/St Mary's Wharf Development.  We are not against redeveloping the site but the current proposals don't do justice to the site or... View article Statements of Community Involvement - Time for a Revision? View article Civic Voice the national body to which many Civic Trusts belong, including the Guildford Society, have been reviewing the use of Statements of Community Involvement (SCIs).  As part of a research partnership between Civic Voice and the U... View article Guildford Crematorium appears in the Architectural Press View article The Guildford Design Awards are well underway for 2021.  Despite Covid Issues with building completion we have a adaquate number of entries to consider, and judging will start shortly..  We are, for the first time, working in partnership wi... View article Guildford and Waverly Councils agree to increase co-operation. View article The recent study sponsored by Surrey Borough councils on unitary authorities prompted by the proposal to have one Surrey Unitary Authority, was supported by KPMG.   KPMG identified that Guildford and Waverley Boroughs could be natural pa... View article Success in campaign to purchase extension to Pewley Down View article Pewley Down  is a protected area and local nature reserve managed by Guildford Borough's Countryside Team and a group of conservation volunteers.  It is much used by Guildford Residents as a place to walk and admire the countryside... View article Planning - the Society responds to Commons Select Committee View article Three developments have occurred in the fight to get the Permitted Development Rights (PDR) changes and associate Use classifications reconsidered. Parliament The Select Committee for Housing, Communities and Local Government is conducting a sh... View article Auriol Earle View article Sadly, we have to report Auriol Earle, who was an active member of the Society over many decades died on 30/04/21 at the Guildford home where she had lived in since 1961. Impact on Guildford Over the best part of sixty years Auriol channelled h... View article
Archived Articles
Former Guildford Society Chairman Michael Jeffery Dies View article The Society was sad to hear that Michael Jeffery a former chairman of the Guildford Society passed away before Christmas, he had been in failing health for the past few months.  Michael was an Architect by profession ultimately being part of ... View article A New Look for the Society View article We have launched a new website and a new image for the Society.  This is a significant change to make communication with our members and the public easier. Website In an environment that increasingly depends upon electronic commu... View article What is happening to the Planning System? View article

The Planning System is undergoing a series of major changes at National Level. We have tried to bring together some of the key developments. Local Policies are also still evolving.

View article
Town Centre Masterplan - Will it be overtaken by events? View article Masterplan Development Agreed Guildford Borough council agreed in July to proceed with the development of a Guildford Economic Regeneration Programme Masterplan Strategy / Town Centre Masterplan.  As well as Council Officers this Strategy wil... View article Any date for Footpath restoration? View article 2nd November marks the anniversary of the collapse of the Tumbling Bay Weir.  Whilst everyone is glad that the weir which is an intrinsic part of the Wey Navigation and local Flood Management has been rebuilt; there remains a missing link. ... View article Walnut Tree Close One Way Trial View article Surrey County Council will be implementing a trial one-way system on the Walnut Tree Close between Topps Tiles on the right hand bend going north and near the postal sorting office from December 2020 to mid-February 2021. During the two-and... View article Gordon Bridger View article Gordon Bridger, a member of our executive, died peacefully at home 27th November 2020, he was 92.   Gordon Bridger was a member of The Guildford Society for 50 years, during that time he was an active and influential member of ... View article £100m Your Fund Surrey launched by Surrey County Council View article £100m Your Fund Surrey launched by Surrey County Council Surrey County Council’s £100m Your Fund Surrey has launched today (Monday 16 November), in an unprecedented move to give power and influence to local communities across the... View article GBC Consults on the Budget View article Guildford Borough Council are consulting on the budget for next year. The Council have been working for some years to make sure that we deliver services in the most cost-effective way.  This has already resulted in... View article Surrey Artists Open Up View article The annual Surrey Artists Open Studios (SAOS) is taking place for the twenty-first year. Artists in Surrey will be opening their doors and welcome members of the public from the 5th June to 20th June.  The venues are normally open 11:00am to ... View article Greenbelt reduces by 6% View article The recent publication from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) of Greenbelt Statistics confirms that Guildford has seen a 6% reduction in Greenbelt land.  This is due to policies adopted in the new 2019 local plan. ... View article Building Design - New Architecture of Interest View article Design of buildings can be judged in so many ways, Practicality, Cost, Aesthetics, Sustainability etc.  Design also evolves as new materials become available and/or the cost of materials changes. Modern design can invoke strong reactions both... View article The Housing Demand Algorithm being rethought? View article There has been a deluge of comments about the Housing Algorithm.  Wired Magazine has a good summary of the issues that the Algorithm might cause if it is proceeded with. This last weekend 14th 15th November there have been press comments that... View article Planning is migrating from paper to IT. View article The recent Planning for the Future White Paper presents proposals to enable the planning system using IT technology, although it is lacking in specific details.  It is interesting that use of IT may be happening anyway.  Most Architectural ... View article Planning for the Future View article Guildford Society has responded to the consultation on the Planning for the Future White Paper.  Although we can sympathise with the objectives to make the planning system simpler and the results better we have serious concerns that the White Pa... View article North Street - Consultation on a new Scheme Starts View article The North Street site in Guildford Site is to the east of the Friary and currently in most part is vacant land beside the bus station.  It has been vacant for many years. The North Street page on this website contains additional background an... View article New Standard Method for Housing Numbers - 787 for Guildford View article New Standard Method Updated with new information on 17-12-2020 In the summer the Ministry for Housing and Local Government consulted on a new formula to allocate housing numbers that Local Plans should seek to achieve in England. The Society... View article Restart at the Solum Guildford Station Site View article After a delay of about a year it appears work is starting in earnest at Guildford Station to develop the Solum Scheme Work starts in early 2021 that will provide a new temporary two-storey car park with 121 parking bays and an access road tha... View article Notice of 85th Annual General Meeting of The Guildford Society View article The 2020 Annual General Meeting of the members of the Guildford Society will be held on Tuesday 6th October at 19.00 for 19.15 start The Covid 19 social distancing requirements and a limitation on numbers permitted to attend public gatherings... View article Station Land Use Study from Network Rail View article The Council have published on the GBC website a redacted copy of the Network Rail evaluation of Land Use at Guildford Station dated 12/2018.  This will be evaluated by GS alongside other material to understand long term plans for the statio... View article Civic Voice View article

“Nowhere should be without its civic society and no-one should be without the voice you can provide”   HRH The Prince of Wales, Oct 2009

View article

Support Us

Getting involved allows the society to continue its work.   We welcome new members, from every age and background.  Membership provides an opportunity for you to contribute to the continued health of the town and surrounding area, and to meet other people who care about Guildford.