Letter: Council Leader Should Take Opportunity to Set Out Guildford’s Real Needs

Published on: 5 Nov, 2017
Updated on: 5 Nov, 2017

From Gordon Bridger

hon alderman and former Mayor of Guildford

In response to: Council Leader to Share Platform with Solum Partner, Day Before Station Planning Appeal

The “Guildford and Surrey Development Plans 2017” event is a very good opportunity for Council Leader Spooner to set out Guildford’s potential and problems.

According to national surveys, Guildford is one of most affluent communities in Britain, the second best educated (after Edinburgh), the 8th most entrepreneurial and most “productive”. Most of its “Gross Value Added” is from high tech services (not retail as is commonly believed) and it is a centre of international importance.

Appropriate housing for skilled workers is need number one which must be addressed, as well, of course, as traffic congestion.

It would be a good opportunity to make it clear that Guildford must retain a clear separate identity and not just become another Woking or Basingstoke.

Thus the high rise buildings which overwhelm other towns are not in our interest and the Solum railway station proposal is totally out of keeping with the town. Low rise buildings in scale and character are a basic requirement if we are to retain its important historic legacy and make it economically attractive.