The Civic Society for Guildford
Since 1896 we have acted as a focus for all who care about Guildford’s heritage and environment. Close attention is paid to Key Sites scheduled for Development/Redevelopment in the borough; and the current development of the Town Centre Master Plan.
Hot Topics
Our latest or most important news is below.
Scroll Down to see earlier posts sorted by Topic Areas; below the Hot Topics.
Lecture - Multiple Housing Design View article
The Society is pleased to annouce the free Annual Architecture Lecture held in conjuction with the University of Surrey.
Providing quality multiple housing has a special importance for Guildford with several large new developments planned in the T... View article
Guildford Design Awards – Update View article
The Guildford Design Awards, which is being run jointly by Guildford Borough Council and The Guildford Society, has had a busy few weeks accepting entries, agreeing a short list, and visiting sites.
The Guildford Design Awards judging p... View article
The 15 Minute Neighbourhood View article
The four principles of the 15-minute neighbourhood was proposed by Carlos Moreno at the COP21 conference in 2015
Proximity: Things must be close.
Diversity: Land uses must be mixed to provide a wide variety of urban amenities nearby.
Densit... View article
University 5G research centre named UK’s best university-industry partnership View article
The Royal Academy of Engineering and Warwick University Manufacturing Gorup (WMG) have awarded the University of Surrey’s 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC) as the first ever winner of the Bhattacharyya Award. The £25,000 prize recognises t... View article
Refurbishing Buildings to curb carbon emissions View article
Construction material manufacture (Steel, Bricks, Cement) creates vast amounts of CO2. Cement alone causes circa 8% of global emissions.
A new report Decarbonising construction: building a new net zero industry by the Royal Academy of ... View article
The Future is Mobility Hubs? View article
Arup and Go-Ahead have published a report on how mobility hubs should be designed. Although many of the concepts have been documented before the report brings current thinking together in a concise form.
The report authors propose that by us... View article
Funding Infrastructure - Lessons from London View article
Guildford has seen little infrastructure investment in Water, Sewage, Electricity, Roads and Rail over the last few decades. Although investment is emerging e.g. New Sewage Plant as part of the Slyfield development, it is a slow process and har... View article
SCC Consult on Local Transport Plan View article
Public Consultation is underway on the Surrey County Council Local Transport Plan 2022-2032. Consultation closes on October 24th 2021
The forward to the plan highlights ‘Meeting the ambitious county and national carbon reduction target... View article
Transport Changes in London View article
For those who visit London; the first major addition to the London Underground this century has come into service with the Northern line being extended to serve new stations at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station.
The new stations will... View article
Doughnut Economics in Guildford View article
Refashioning Economics for the 21st Century
The Guildford Surrey Green Week run by Zero Carbon Guildford was kicked off by a workshop on ‘Doughnut Economics’ run by the Doughnut Economics Action Lab.
As the Doughnut Economics Lab de... View article
Guildford Housing Department - Experiment with Design View article
Guildford Borough Council (GBC) have recently revealed plans to redevelop a small site on Clover Road currently occupied by disused garages replacing it with 8 apartments, all being affordable housing. Planning application 21/P/01646 refe... View article
Guildford Cathedral Housing Plans View article
The Guildford Local Plan Policy A15 has allocated 100 houses on the South Side of the Cathdral Hill leading down to Arlesford Rd.
A new round of consultation has now commentnced. VIVID and Guildford Cathedral held a public webinar on Thursday... View article
Guildford – A week to Remember. View article
There are three events happening in the Town Centre over the next week.
Heritage Open Days Thursday 16 - Sunday 19 September
Discover the hidden treasures on your doorstep and celebrate our borough's heritage as England's largest festiv... View article
Motoring Getting Cheaper View article
The government is seeking to move the country to using green transport through various measures including:
Supporting Active Travel (Walking and Cycling)
Revision to Bus Management
Support alternative fuelled vehicles notably electric cars
... View article
Interesting Vienna Development View article
Vienna is developing the Village im Dritten (Village in the Third District) as a new quarter, with a ‘Park for All’ in the middle.
The design has a number of interesting features.
Shielding from Noise and Pollut... View article
Guildford Society Responds to St Marys Wharf Consultation 3 View article
The Society welcomes moves redevelop the Debenhams site. However, we consider the scheme, as presented during this 3rd Consultation, is fundamentally flawed.
View article
Topic Areas
Our Posts are categorised by Topic Areas, use the links below to see ALL posts by Topic. Society News on critical issues and events etc. is available here.
The Topic Areas also provide appropriate details of the Society Working Groups.
Help Us make Guildford Better
The Guildford Society has been an active voice, speaking up for the town and its surrounding countryside and villages for over a century.
While mindful of the past, our heritage and precious environment, 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.
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.
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.