Welcome to the Guildford Society
The Guildford Society has been an active voice, speaking up for the town and its surrounding countryside and villages, since 1896. As a Civic Society, we act as a focus for all who care about Guildford’s heritage and environment. While mindful of the past, we look firmly to the future.
We recognise that development must, and will, take place. However, we do not believe this should be at the expense of Guildford’s historic character and beauty, nor of the unspoilt countryside that surrounds it.
Hot Topics
We have selected our latest or most important news items for you below.
Please see topic areas for other news items.
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
Architecture - Queen’s Yard wins New London Architecture Award View article
Queen’s Yard, a mixed-use redevelopment of Hackney Wick, has picked up the New London Architecture Award for Best Mixing Project 2020; having been shortlisted in three categories mixing, placemaking and housing categories.. This proje... View article
Low and Zero Emission Buses £49million funding View article
To accelerate the introduction of ultra-low and zero emission buses in Surrey; Surrey County Council are backing a scheme to introduce up to 80 ultra-low or zero-emission buses and 50 community transport minibuses by 2025 with the aim that all buses ... View article
Intensive Investment Offered for Green Towns and Cities View article
Government Investment to become like Holland
Tucked away in the recent ‘Gear Change A bold vision for cycling and walking’ (See Below - Page 19) is a statement about the government wishing to ‘stimulate a large number of pro... View article
Nationwide initiative to restore nature in England View article
The Nature Recovery Network (NRN) Delivery Partnership, led by Natural England, brings together over 600 organisations to promote the restoration of protected sites and landscapes and help provide at least 500,000 hectares of new wildlife-rich ... View article
Progress Easier for Heathrow Southern Railway? View article
Heathrow Southern Railway (HSR) the organisation backing a new Rail Link into Heathrow from Basingstoke and Guildford via Woking has issued an update on its activities.
HSR has been very quiet on its plans of late. The news item makes a surp... View article
On your Bike! View article
e-Bike Subsidy?
The Department of Transport has published Gear change a bold vision for cycling and walking (See document below), with a foreword by that keen cyclist the prime minister.
The UK government is planning, according to press re... View article
Keeping the Lights on View article
One of the isues with renewable energy is that supplies for most renewables are subject to fluctuation due to weather.
To make renewables viable there needs to be a method of storing excess energy for consumption at a latter time. It appears... View article
A New Guildford Quarter View article
A Opportunity Missed?
It is instructive to visit Walnut Tree Close as many of the new buildings are completed or almost complete.
It is an opportunity missed to plan an effective set of buildings that related to each other, create a sense... 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
Help us make Guildford better
We want our town to be vibrant, attractive and liveable. We support development that brings a sense of place and enhances the best aspects of our town. If such aims can be embraced, we believe Guildford has the chance to lead the way in enabling sensitive and sustainable development.
Pressures for development are increasing. Planning rules are being eased. The Society’s commitment to standing up for Guildford is needed more than ever.
Topic Areas
The society has several work groups that look at the preservation and evolution of Guildford more details can be found in the appropriate section.
Other Organisations
The Society engages with a variety of other organisations who share our interests and we share their links for information. We are also include links to Guildford Borough Council and other Government bodies and Developers of key sites. Finally we include other links of interest that are related to the borough.