Borough Council Launches Town Centre Masterplan Consultation

Published on: 1 Oct, 2015
Updated on: 5 Oct, 2015

Guildford Borough Council has launched its draft Town Centre Masterplan consultation which commences officially tomorrow (October 2).

It is asking those who live or work in the borough to help it shape the future of the town over the next 30 years.

The consultation runs from Friday, October 2, to Monday, November 16. Views can be given online, in writing or at consultation events.

The draft Town Centre Masterplan features radical design ideas for the future of Guildford. Over the coming decades the town could feature a new riverside community park, more pedestrianised areas, fewer cars, more cyclists and “streets for people”.

Urban designers Allies & Morrison has produced the draft Masterplan, which shows artist impressions of what Guildford could look like.

How Guildford’s riverside could look – artist’s impression of the possible view towards the Farnham Road Car Park.

The document includes options on how to manage traffic flow so that pedestrians and cyclists have better access to the town centre. It also aims to ensure the right balance of housing, business and transport development in the town.

Public feedback from the initial town centre vision consultation last year helped shape the draft Masterplan. Improving traffic flow, making more of the River Wey and protecting the town’s existing assets are recognised as crucial for Guildford’s future.

Following the consultation, the public’s feedback and ideas will help inform the council’s final development plan for the town centre. It will then identify what can be delivered in the short-term and test what is possible longer-term, making sure sure that any individuals and organisations affected by future plans are fully involved in the process.

Key parts of the final Masterplan will be included in the new draft Local Plan for the borough.

Cllr Stephen Mansbridge.

Council leader, Stephen Mansbridge, (Con, South Ash & Tongham) said: “This has been a long journey and it is tremendous to see a blueprint for our town centre laid out before the public for discussion.

“We want a stellar town centre making the most of our beautiful river and setting. We want to see architectural excellence and a forward momentum that reinforces Guildford’s position as the premier regional centre in the South East.”

Cllr Paul Spooner.

Cllr Paul Spooner (Con, South Ash & Tongham), lead councillor for planning, said: “The draft Town Centre Masterplan shows our commitment to identify what local people, local businesses and local services need from their town over the coming years. This consultation process will help to find out what local people really want for Guildford’s future.

“We want to know what the public’s appetite is for more housing in the town and the suggestions for pedestrian zones in addition to other important considerations. It will inform a number of other projects, including development of North Street. Our work on the new Local Plan will also feature relevant aspects from the final Masterplan, therefore it is very important that people get involved.”

Cllr Matt Furniss.

Cllr Matt Furniss (Con, Christchurch), lead councillor for infrastructure and environment, added: “A key theme of the draft Town Centre Masterplan is the high priority placed on helping pedestrians, cyclists and sustainable transport.

“For too many years traffic congestion has dominated the heart of the town, carving up Guildford at the expense of the river and sustainable transport. This draft Masterplan sets out a possible townscape for the future. We want to plan for the health and wellbeing of local people and visitors, in turn helping the future of our local economy.”

Cllr Caroline Reeves

Cllr Caroline Reeves (Lib Dem, Friary & St Nicolas), leader of the opposition, said: “I am pleased that we have a plan that has reflected so many of the aspirations of our residents. Now we need to hold our nerve.

“The challenge will be ensuring that we achieve as much as possible while maintaining the highest design and eco standards. This is our opportunity to lead the way in quality for our built environment as well as opening up our town centre for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport to oust the car and reveal the river.

“We will be encouraging as many of our residents as possible to comment during the consultation period.”

Cllr Susan Parker.

Cllr Susan Parker (GGG, Send) leader of the Guildford Greenbelt Group) said: “GBC wants Guildford to become an economic powerhouse but this should not be the primary objective.

“The transport and other infrastructure constraints require us to look very hard at innovative ways to achieve the extra residential accommodation required placing as little burden as possible on these. The draft Masterplan is a valuable start and does look at brownfield opportunities. However we are concerned that there is over-concentration on office and retail space at the expense of much needed housing.

“This will put pressure on the green spaces around Guildford that are dear to town and country dwellers alike and will place an ever greater burden on infrastructure. We accept that some gradual proportionate infill growth within the villages is required to fulfil local village needs but not large scale development of the green belt.

“The report … fails to take advantage of brownfield development opportunities for increased residential development in the town or provide good evidence of demand for non-residential development expansion. There is a bias favouring the expansion of shopping and offices at the expense of new housing ….”

A video of the ideas in the draft Town Centre Masterplan online and the opportunity to tell the council what you think of it can be found at : http://www.guildford.gov.uk/tcmp.

Consultation events at 25 Swan Lane, Guildford will be held at the following times:
10am to 4pm on Friday, October 2; Wednesday, October 7; Monday, October 12; Saturday, October 17; Friday, October 23; Friday, November 6; Wednesday, November, 11; and Friday, November 13. 2pm to 7pm on Thursday, October 29.

Events at Guildford Farmers’ Markets:
10.30am to 3.30pm, Tuesday, October 6, and Tuesday, November 3.

Events elsewhere in the borough:
10am to 4pm Friday, October 16 at Ash Centre, Ash Hill Road, Ash GU12 5DP.
10am to 4pm Wednesday, October 28 Horsley & Send Cricket Club, West Horsley KT24 6JS.

To request a hard copy of the draft Masterplan or to receive it in an alternative format contact GBC’s customer service centre on 01483 505050.

Artist's impression of the possible view from Town Bridge.

Artist’s impression of the possible view from the Town Bridge.

Responses to Borough Council Launches Town Centre Masterplan Consultation

Bibhas Neogi Reply

October 3, 2015 at 6:37 am

It all looks very pretty but a bit ambitious? I’m intrigued as to where the traffic goes since Town Bridge is shown as block paved with no cars on but a lone cyclist shown.

Millbrook is to be removed and the Town Bridge presumably not used either for traffic, so is traffic going to go underground?
Adrian atkinson Reply

October 3, 2015 at 4:18 pm

According to Cllr Furniss, the plan is not going to solve the traffic problems. According to Cllr Spooner the size, look and feel of the buildings are illustrative. According to planners the uses of some areas are suggestive and not prescriptive. This all begs the question, what is the point of this isn’t what we will get?

A plan is to deliver a vision or strategy.

So as far as I can see there will be more shops making us like Woking and Kingston which is against all retail landscape predictions. But, more pedestrian areas good, tick and better use of the river frontage good, tick.
Bibhas Neogi Reply

October 4, 2015 at 5:29 am

My mistake, it is not Town Bridge but Onslow Bridge that is shown in the sketch with a lone cyclist. Then the vision for riverside development is even more extensive and ambitious than I thought them to be. Who would fund such a massive development? Are the developers queueing up with their tower cranes to do all this?

Considering GBC and SCC could not even manage to spend £2.9m fund they obtained from M3 LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) to do something to improve the gyratory in the short term, what hope is there on their ability to manage hundreds of millions of pounds on infrastructure development to go with all this even if the Community Infrastructure Levy is successfully raised from the developers?