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Picture Turning Torso - Malmo Sweden Architect Santiago_Calatrava The Guildford Society welcomes the Tall Buildings SPD and has long advocated for a policy of managing building heights in Guildford Borough. To support this, we published the ‘Review of Height and Tall Building Policies’ in February 2024, which shows that most similar towns use effective tall building policies. The Society is not totally against Tall Buildings but they need to be sited very carefully and exhibit good design quality, See link to post at foot of this text. While this draft policy is a very positive step forward, it arrives too late to affect major Town Centre projects (as defined in the Guildford Local Plan LPSS 2019) like Solum at Guildford Station. which already have approval for what we consider overly large developments. If the SPD had been in place sooner, these projects might have reconsidered their height and massing. We remain concerned about future developments on town centre sites such as Guildford Park Road, Bedford Wharf & Millmead, Riverside Business Park, and potential additional sites likely to be considered in the Local Plan update, e.g. Telephone Exchange. Notably, areas like Woodbridge Meadows and other borough locations are not currently covered by the SPD, though they would benefit from it, especially as new sites emerge in the Local Plan Update. Prompt agreement and implementation of the Tall Buildings SPD are crucial. Our comments on the Draft SPD are in the document below. We have focused on two major concerns the scope of the SPD, the Town Centre in our view is a too limited area. We are also concerned that and Height Guidance is related to it's surroundings.Background
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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.
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