The Dragon Says: 2019 – A Crucial Year for the Future of Guildford

Published on: 13 Feb, 2019
Updated on: 14 Feb, 2019

This year is going to be hugely significant for Guildford’s future. The months that lie ahead in 2019 are packed with controversy and challenge.

First, there is the Local Plan which seems likely to be adopted eventually, although Planning Inspector Jonathan Bore said that may have to await further public consultation, pushing a final decision possibly beyond the council elections on May 2. The second day of the resumed hearings takes place today. Under the plan, large areas of green belt will be developed.

Second, the very controversial and unpopular redevelopment of the railway station area, involving blocks of flats that, taken together, some describe as the “Great Wall of Guildford”. Historically, this will be the biggest single change to Guildford’s townscape.

Third, on May 2, we face the borough council election, the most unpredictable for decades. Ruthless deselection of councillors who dared to challenge the Conservative leadership line, coupled with a disenchantment, in some quarters, with the dominant Conservatives could lead to a real upset. But will it?

Fourth, at some stage, the revised plan for North Street should emerge. Will it add real character and amenity to the town or just more high-rise, profit-maximised development, devoid of local character?

Let’s look at each of these.

Local Plan

The two-day hearings resume today. Council Leader Paul Spooner hoped the plan would be done, dusted and formally adopted before the local elections. The inspector indicated further changes might require another public consultation, after the election date. Watch this space.

The controversial plan allows for a 20% increase in the number of dwellings in the borough with a commensurate increase in infrastructure demand. If each new dwelling has the Surrey average of two cars only further congestion and pollution can result. The remedy of modal shift appears to some to be a pipe dream, especially as the new strategic sites are remote from Guildford and new residents are likely to travel in.

But such arguments have been heard and largely rejected by the Planning Inspector and it seems central government will succeed in forcing unprecedented levels of growth on Guildford. That appears to have been the objective all along and so far, most of our councillors have collaborated.

Cllr Spooner told The Dragon that, with the plan in place, future councils, whatever their political colour, will be barred from changing it without risking central government moving in to take over.

Council elections

If the Local Plan has not been settled by May, that would likely be the focus for those campaigning to be elected to the council. Even if it has been adopted, there might still be strong feelings, especially in those parts of the borough most affected by the strategic green belt developments. The Conservative candidate in Lovelace, for instance, is unlikely to face a universally welcoming reception.

But what will sway the voters? Most agree that many are influenced by the present issues and party standings at a national level. No matter that borough councillors have no influence over Brexit, if there are voters still angry at or supportive of a party’s Brexit stance they might use their vote(s) accordingly.

Or it could be something else. Cllr James Walsh (Labour, Stoke) reported after his by-election campaign that the issue most frequently raised was potholes.

Then there is the arrival of the new Independents. How will they be viewed? Will they be organised enough to campaign successfully? Will they be able to overcome long-standing party loyalties or will they be able to take advantage of a suppressed groundswell of disaffection with party politics and our political systems? Certainly, their ability to attract an audience of more than 300 to their first meeting last year must have encouraged them.

Everyone seems to agree the election is too difficult to call at present but a political earthquake would be necessary to remove the Tories from power.

Station redevelopment

Although the council election is too hard to predict, The Dragon is prepared to go out on a limb on this project: it will be overwhelmingly reviled.

Only last week, Paul Spooner said of the decision: “There are times when the Guildford Society, the Vision Group and the borough and county councils don’t always agree but I think that was one time when everyone agreed.” They all wanted planning permission to be refused. The council voted unanimously for refusal but, nevertheless, permission was granted on appeal.

Cllr Spooner blamed the Planning Inspectorate. The indisputable fact is that one man from Bristol made the decision and, once rubber-stamped by the Secretary of State, there was no right of further appeal no matter how we, who will have to suffer the presence of such a monolith, feel about it.

When the huge blocks are erected, no doubt some will say, “How did this happen? Who on earth allowed this?” and, “Why did no one tell me about it?”.

Such are the risks of ignoring our local politics and our local news, although in this case, it is more of an indictment of our entire planning system. Presumably, those involved thought that as a town and borough even this monstrous imposition will not shake the Conservative foundations here. But perhaps they are wrong. After all, the Tories did not quite manage to get 50% of the popular vote in 2015, during a Tory surge.

The North Street regeneration area.

North Street

We still await news of the plans to redevelop North Street. The area has been ripe for redevelopment for 60 years. Even within the past decade, the concept of a redevelopment financed by a new “anchor” store such as John Lewis has come and gone. Outdated before it could be agreed. It is questionable whether our two existing department stores can survive as online shopping threatens increasing challenges to High Street retail, and employment.

Paul Spooner has said he has had enough of Stalinist-style developments, and many in Guildford would agree. But will we end up with changes to our home town truly attractive to most, extending the valued character portrayed by our High Street but little else? It is easy to imagine a development with small shop units, on quirky lanes with residences above to a maximum height of four storeys.

Why not have a development which proudly copies local historic styles in a fashion that could draw more shoppers and tourists to the town for an enjoyable experience different from what they can have in Woking or Reading?

It is easy to imagine, but don’t hold your breath. Commercial interests will hold sway as ever, the same commercial interests that led to practically all post-war development in this town adding nothing to its attractiveness. No wonder the Planning Inspector described parts of the town, away from the High Street, as “appalling”. So many of us agree wholeheartedly.