Consented Scheme illustrated above

St Mary’s Wharf – Extra Floor Proposed

St Mary’s Wharf, the old Debenhams site, is planned as a new riverside development in the centre of Guildford.

The development, approved from Guildford Borough Council in November 2022, will offer 180 new homes (including affordable homes), ranging from one to four bedrooms, together with commercial space.

St Mary’s Wharf will also create a public riverside walkway, providing direct access to the River Wey from the High Street for the first time in more than 50 years.  Note ultimately this may include extending the walkway across to the Yvonne Araud Theatre via a bridge.

The buildings will be fossil fuel-free and net zero carbon in operation.

The development is currently under construction, with the old Debenhams building demolished and the foundations substantially complete. 

Native Land, the developers, are now proposing a change to the approved scheme. The updated design would add one additional floor to the smaller of the two approved buildings, the one at the north end of the site by the Town Bridge.  This would create eight additional homes, including one additional affordable home.  

It is claimed that the this change would help deliver the development in a single construction phase, reducing disruption in the town centre while retaining the high-quality design already approved.  Both buildings would not exceed the highest point previously approved by GBC.

The Society has concerns about this proposal focused on:

• The heights consented were discussed at length with the buildings been reduced by one storey, during the planning process, and it was decided to make the northern block shorter than the south block to provide variety of roof line.
• Currently we have yet to see revised verified views.
• We objected to the consented scheme on several grounds one of which was the impact on the historic buildings in the vicinity of the development.
• It is not clear why the same heights for both blocks eases construction.
• The developers have proposed changes to the equipment on the roof tops, this is a important change as many modern buildings are unattractive when viewed from above, a particularly important area for Guildford with its views across the town from the surrounding Downs.

All illustrations are artistic impressions from Native Land Documents.