Letter: I Wish To Clarify the Situation Regarding the Lockwood Centre

Published on: 16 Apr, 2024
Updated on: 16 Apr, 2024

The Lockwood Centre in Slyfield Industrial Estate

From: Craig Hills

chairman of the Lockwood Regeneration Consortium

In response to: Campaign Launched to Prevent Demolition of Community and Special Needs Resource

Thank you so much for the article published. It has led to much-needed discussion and support.

I do not wish to respond to Cllr Potter’s comment on the article directly but I would like the full facts to be known. As may be recalled, the past two years of negotiations have been “complicated”, and there are some details that I wish to add that make clear our message.

With reference to our campaign being primarily aimed at GBC, ultimately, Guildford owns the freehold for The Lockwood Site.

In April 2023 SCC had offered Lockwood Arts, in partnership with Fareshare (a community foodbank), a Heads of Terms for a lease for the Lockwood Centre.

This would have led to a great partnership of arts and sustainable community food services being offered from the building but this was prevented by GBC as they would not offer SCC the option to sub-let. It was for this reason that we were forced to create a new consortium and negotiate directly with GBC rather than SCC.

I have provided The Dragon with a comprehensive account of communications and milestones as evidence.