News on Design aspects of new developments and impact on Guildford’s outstanding built heritage. We also post items of interest on design from other organisations, including the government. We maintain a page of National & Local Planning Policies
See (Read More> below) provides the Society's focus on preserving our heritage and how best to encourage good design in new developments and associated public spaces.
The group drawn from members with a variety of backgrounds meets monthly. The group also interacts with the planning group on reviewing planning applications. The group works to the following principles and manages the Guildford Design Awards, Annual Architecture Lecture, and participation in Heritage Open Days
Good design helps to build communities, improves quality of life, and creates places where people wish to live, work and play. Good design should also respect and respond to our heritage buildings (See below).
Considered, sustainable design should be at the heart of all new developments, and refurbishments or conversions, in the borough. It should be ambitious and create the heritage for the future, enabling us to hand Guildford to the next generation in a better state.
Good design is difficult to define. The Society believes that Guildford should see a mixture of building styles and is critical of simplistic ‘clone’ and ‘pastiche’ design.
The Society believes good design should be encouraged by clear and concise policies. Lengthy documents exist, such as the Local Plan: Development Management Policies. We believe Guildford needs a more concise Design Guide to provide guidance to citizens and developers. It is noted that many European towns have such a document.
The Society is aware of initiatives from central government that attempt to set design standards, such as the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission Report. We will monitor these proposals as they develop.
We believe developments should be reviewed by the Design South East Design panel. This should be supplemented by a local design panel, providing local input.
We are committed to the Society playing a pro-active role in planning pre-applications, acting as a truly independent body, and as a conduit of information for outside bodies.
Developers that embrace good design should be publicly rewarded. One way that this can be achieved is by substantially increasing public awareness of design awards, at both local and national levels, including Guildford’s own Design Awards programme.
The Society in conjunction with the University of Surrey hosts an annual Architecture Lecture.
Developers should be encouraged to view themselves as “patrons of good architecture” and be made aware of the financial benefits accruing from creating effective and iconic buildings.
Heritage issues caused the foundation on which the Guildford Society. The town’s historic High Street provides the images by which our borough is universally known. It is designated as the town’s primary Conservation Area and contains several listed buildings. Its care and conservation, while maintaining its vitality, have been key aims of the Society since its re-formation in 1935, and of its predecessor, the Old Guildford Society, formed in 1896.
There are many more heritage assets in the surrounding area, from major National Trust houses to smaller buildings. We have a rich history, ranging from early industrial buildings to medieval masterpieces and fine examples of Arts and Crafts buildings; not forgetting the Castle, almost certainly built by William the Conqueror soon after 1066.
Our heritage faces many pressures. These include wear and tear; the impact of weather and pollution on surfaces and buildings; commercial demands; competition from proposed new developments; and competing demands for funding. All present challenges to its survival.
The Society is an active participant in the annual Heritage Open Days, which have promoted access to many buildings opened only occasionally, as well as those more regularly opened.
Heritage is a central element of the visitor experience in Guildford, which needs to be properly funded, repaired and preserved. We are also keenly aware that it is fragile. This means that sometimes visitor numbers may need to be limited and transport access monitored and controlled.
Developers that support the sensitive restoration and repurposing of heritage assets should be publicly rewarded. As part of our Design Awards programme we seek to recognise developments that have shown true awareness of heritage considerations. We are encouraged that several developers have shown they can work successfully with heritage buildings.
The Society welcomes moves redevelop the Debenhams site. However, we consider the scheme, as presented during this 3rd Consultation, is fundamentally flawed.
View article Modular Homes for the Homeless View article Twenty years ago Andy Hill, CEO of Hill Group was made redundant, a sudden change in circumstances that illustrates how quickly someone’s luck can turn. With the support of his family, he was able to start a business that has grown int... View article Increased focus on the Beauty of New Development. View article The ministry of Housing Communities and Local government (MHCLG) has announced 20th July 2020 the following: New Office for Place to help councils and communities banish ugly developments and deliver beautiful, green homes and plac... View article Parliament comments on Planning for the Future View article The 6th August is the anniversary of the publication by the government of its White Paper, Planning for the future. There is still no date as to when a final Whitepaper is to be published as a Bill for consideration by Parliament. Planning for the... View article Sustainability of Buildings View article The Royal institute of British Architects (RIBA) is getting increasingly interested in the challenges of building with a minimal Carbon Footprint over the entire life cycle of a building. Whole Life Carbon Metric Understanding the impact of our... View article Guildford Design Awards 2021 View article The Guildford Society and Guildford Borough Council are jointly organising the 2021 Guildford Design Awards. Cllr Joss Bigmore, Leader of Guildford Borough Council and Peter Coleman Chairman of the Guildford Society Design and Heri... View article Wisley Airfield Update View article News of the Wisley Development has been quiet lately, but a lot has been going behind the scenes. A Public Consultation Event took place in mid-May. There is a summary Video of the scheme indicative form on the Wisley Airfield Website&... View article The Plaza Site - living space for 300 people. View article Tiger Developments Ltd are starting a public consultation exercise for the Plaza Site – the vacant plot of brownfield land located between Bury Street and Portsmouth Road on the fringe of the town centre. The proposals seek to transform the ... View article Guildford Testing the National Model Design Code View article Guildford Borough Council has been selected as one of 14 authorities to evaluate the application of the new National Model Design Code (NMDC). The NMDC is part of the revsion of the planning system proposed in Planning for the Future. T... View article St Marys Wharf - Second Consultation -The Society Responds View article Native Land, have now who have acquired the Debenhams site, have now issued an interim update on their emerging ideas. The site has been renamed as St Marys Wharf. The update, which is available for comment until the 21st May, builds on the ... View article North Street Update - No change for the Bus Station. View article St Edward have released a short video giving an update on the status to the plans being developed for the North Street Site. The major item of news is that St Edward in consultation with GBC and SCC are minded to leave the Bus Station on its ex... View article The Council can enable Quality Design in Guildford View article The Guildford Society together with Guildford Borough Council are keen to see the quality of design improved for new buildings in Guildford. Our Design Awards which we are about to launch again in 2021, details coming shortly, are a way of enco... View article No 1 Onslow Street (Sanofi House) - proposed height increase by 3 stories. View article The owners of No 1 Onslow Street M&G, who also own the Friary Centre, have applied (21/P/00539) to modify No 1 Onslow Street occupied until recently by Sanofi. The key proposals are to create a three storey extension to the roof, roof terrace ... View article Twentieth Century Society objects to Debenhams being demolished. View article The Twentieth Century Society was founded in 1979 to support interest in C20th architecture and to complement the preservation work of the Victorian Society, which was founded in 1959. The Twentieth Century Society has campaigned successfully to p... View article Guildford Society responds to the first St Marys Wharf consultation View article The Society has now responded to the first Public Consultation by Native Land on the proposal to redevelop the Debenhams site. We have sent Native Land, the developers, detailed answers related to the questions posed on the consultation website.&n... View article Architecture’s highest honour - for redeveloping existing buildings. View article Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal have been awarded the 2021 Pritzker Architecture Prize which is known internationally as architecture’s highest honour. As well as new developments the French Architects are known for repurposing buildin... View article Feedback on the first round of consultation on North Street proposals View article St Edward the developers for the North Street Site have posted a summarised response to the first consultation on plans held in December 2020. The Developers are planning on bringing forward amended plans with it is to be hoped more detail in a... View article Civic Trust Awards 2021 View article The Civic Trust has announced its awards for Conservation & for Universal Design The Civic Trust Awards state that that its agile nature that has proven to be its greatest asset and it is with great pride that it can claim to be the only ... View article Eco-homes become hot property in the UK View article The Guardian has an interesting article on the move to Eco Homes. Local authorities across the country have been encouraging these developments supported by Developers and Architects. The Article highlights schemes in Exeter, Leeds, Cambridg... View article Debenhams Site - St Marys Wharf Consultation View article Native Land have appointed a team to propose a design for the site. The Society has added a page to the website to keep track of progress of the development. The team have now published a initial ideas for the site, and to kee... View article The Society Comments on Weyside View article As Weyside is such an important site in Guildford, we are publishing our response to the Hybrid Planning application. The Society has reviewed, as best we can, the 240 documents related to the Weyside Planning application. This scheme has be... View article Guildford Society 2020 Design Awards Winner Interviews View article We have held a small 'virtual' celebration (21-1-2021) for the winners of our 2020 Design Awards. The virtual celebration was also the occasion that we released the short interviews with the Architect, Developer, or Project Manager... View article Create a Park in the Town Centre View article Stockton on Tees has suffered a declining Town Centre for many years. The Guardian has an interesting article on the ideas emerging to redevelop the Town Centre. The Stockton proposals are a reminder that the Guildford Town Centre Master Plan... View article MHCLG Changes to NPPF and Green Buildings View article The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government had a very busy last weekend in January. In response to the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission report, MHCLG is progressing Changes to the National Plan... View article
Support Us
Getting involved allows the society to continue its work. We welcome new members, from every age and background. Membership provides an opportunity for you to contribute to the continued health of the town and surrounding area, and to meet other people who care about Guildford.