Annual General Meeting

Thank you to all who attended the Annual General Meeting at Dapdune Walk, on a fine sunny evening.  After the AGM John Gibson National Trust Manager of the Wey Navigation gave an interesting talk on the Wey and the Dapdune site.  

Local Plan

As expected, the Local Plan has now been challenged by two organisations and one individual.  The legal process is now underway to determine if there are grounds for a judicial review.

Casino Site Appeal

The appeal date is now set as 6^th September to allow the building of a 14 story high block on the Casino Site.   The Society will be opposing this development as we feel its mass and scale are inappropriate for the town centre.  See Planning Application

Views Supplementary Planning Document

The council has now produced a supplementary Planning Document based on the Town Centre Views Study.  The society will be commenting in full to the council.  See More

Heathrow Airport

You may ask how this affects Guildford, but it does.  The recently announced consultation on plans for the third runway, whatever your views on having a third runway, is notably weak on supporting proper transport links from the south into the airport.  Heathrow gives only cautious support for the proposed rail link to Basingstoke/Guildford.   The Society believes Heathrow needs to aggressively support good reliable public transport links to the airport for Airport Employees and Travellers.  See More

Guildford Station - a opportunity?

Keir Construction, who are one half of the Solum Joint Venture redeveloping the east side of the station, as part of a restructuring, may sell the division that handles large scale developments like Solum.

Guildford Borough Council did try to buy the plaza site in the town centre last year.  Surrey County Council have announced they are concentrating investment in the county rather than a more general portfolio. 

If Keir do divest their share of Solum is there a opportunity for GBC and/or SCC to buy into the development and create the opportunity to redevelop the station in a sensible manner.   

Using council investment funds in viable projects that benefit the community, such as a redeveloped station site that is critical to the future of Guildford, would be a good outcome.