Council Mounts Exhibition of Guildford Park Road Car Park Development Plan

Published on: 17 Nov, 2015
Updated on: 20 Nov, 2015

Guildford Park Road car pk development - Atrist's Impression

Guildford Park Road Car Park Redevelopment – An artist’s impression of how it could look

Guildford residents and workers are being asked to have their say about a plan for the redevelopment of a brownfield site near the University of Surrey and Guildford railway station that the council says is currently failing to achieve its potential.

Guildford Borough Council (GBC) is mounting a public exhibition to run over two days, 3.30pm to 7:30pm, Wednesday and Thursday, November 18 and 19, at Guildford Park Church, Guildford Park Road, GU2 7NF, where the public can find out more about the plans for the area.

An announcement on the GBC website states: “There is an increase in demand for all types of housing in the borough, especially affordable housing. Eighty nine per cent of the land in the borough is in the green belt, which places greater restriction on the development of new homes.

Map showing the position of the Guildford Park Road Car Park – click to enlarge.

“Brownfield sites which are owned by the council have been identified as the perfect opportunity for redevelopment.”

“The existing surface car park at Guildford Park Road provides an important facility for commuters and other long-stay users. The site fails to achieve its full potential in economic, social and environmental terms. As a result we have brought forward plans to redevelop the site so that the space can be better utilised.”

The proposal is for the existing 400 parking spaces to be be relocated into a new multi-storey car park at the southern end of the site leaving the remainder of the site free for development for new homes and public spaces.

It is intended that the development will provide up to 160 residential units, including affordable homes as well as a multi-storey car park. It is hoped that the initiative will provide much needed additional homes for local people and improve the overall environment through re-generation.

Cllr Tony Rooth

Cllr Tony Rooth (Con, Pilgrims), lead councillor for housing and social welfare, said: “The council is committed to exploring all opportunities on brownfield sites to provide much needed new homes for local people.

“This is an exciting regeneration project that could see people moving into their new homes starting in 2018. We encourage people to view the plans at our public exhibition this week and have the opportunity to speak to members of the project team. Please do take this opportunity to have your say.”

Cllr David Goodwin

Cllr David Goodwin (Lib Dem, Onslow) added: “The proposal to redevelop the area of the car park at Guildford Park Road is basically good.

“Importantly, it will allow the council to allocate about 90 homes to those on our housing list. It is also good that, unusually, the units that will be for sale will be in the less favoured position nearest the railway lines.”

Responses to Council Mounts Exhibition of Guildford Park Road Car Park Development Plan

Adrian Atkinson Reply

November 17, 2015 at 7:42 pm

Is this in the Town Centre Master Plan? If not, why not?
Bernard Parke Reply

November 17, 2015 at 10:34 pm

How long before these so called affordable homes are bought up by speculators and become an extension student dormitories in Guildford Park Avenue?

With the present lack of Government control there can never be “affordable” houses here in Guildford.
George Dokimakis Reply

November 18, 2015 at 8:28 am

The levels of cognitive dissonance from our council’s Executive are hitting new levels.

How can a facility that is deemed important for commuters fail to achieve its full potential in economic, social and environmental terms?

What are the targets that it fails to meet?

I look forward to looking into the development plan.
- George Potter Reply
  
  November 20, 2015 at 12:51 pm
  
  “How can a facility that is deemed important for commuters fail to achieve its full potential in economic, social and environmental terms?”
  
  Presumably in terms that, at the moment, it’s a town centre site which is just an expanse of tarmac with a few garages. And not a particularly pleasant place to walk through.
  
  So if it’s possible for it to have the same number of parking places whilst also improving the general environment of the area and providing much needed housing then on that basis you could say it’s not achieving its full potential right now.
  
  Council jargon is a pain but it if means we’ll be getting 90 new council flats in a town centre location then it’s probably worth putting up with.
Janette Panton Reply

November 18, 2015 at 1:07 pm

I am very much hoping the homes built on this GBC owned site will be much needed council or housing association owned properties to house those who cannot afford to get onto the property ladder and own their own home.

Wouldn’t it be great to live in David Cameron’s world where everyone owned their own home. The reality is there are still a lot of people who very much need homes and cannot buy.

This is a council project and it is reported that 90 of the homes will be for social housing. Ed
Mary Bedforth Reply

November 18, 2015 at 7:03 pm

Yesterday morning at 9am I was in a queue of traffic that was almost solidly stationary extending from the Farnham Road roundabout through to the Royal Surrey County Hospital. Traffic coming the other way had to drive onto the pavements to let a blue light ambulance through.

There were no reports of any accidents or other problems causing this gridlock.

What will happen when we add in extra vehicles after all the growth that is intended… I think we can all imagine.
Mary Bedforth Reply

November 27, 2015 at 11:16 am

It is just as well the damaged railings and bus shelter opposite the Cathedral entrance had not been replaced. This morning a large silver pick up has left the road and is lying on its side in the undergrowth beyond the railings. I hope nobody was injured.

Yesterday an out of control Porsche went straight through the boundary wall of a house near the Parrot Inn, Shalford.

It seems that vehicle accidents are a frequent occurrence these days.
Les Knight Reply

November 27, 2015 at 1:48 pm

Nothing will be built. We only get plans, masterplans and more plans. This is Guildford.
Martin Elliott Reply

November 27, 2015 at 6:32 pm

I wonder if all five of the existing bus routes will still pass through the car park? Never quite understood why they don’t use the roads.