Letter: Shortcomings of Weyside Urban Village Are Obvious

Published on: 12 Dec, 2024
Updated on: 12 Dec, 2024

Weyside Urban Village.

From Ben Paton

In response to: The Problems That Will Be Caused by the Weyside Project Are No Laughing Matter

Sadly, Guildford Borough councillors have for over a decade been in the grip of group think when considering the Weyside Urban Village project. Astonishingly all the political groups agreed that this project was a ”good idea”. The “opposition”’ parties were all anxious to climb aboard the band wagon.

How did this happen? It appears that everyone agreed that something needed to be done about the sewage works, which often stink. The objective is no doubt laudable. But it seems that this end has been taken to justify any means including subsiding the building of a new town in an unsustainable location.

Thankfully Mr Allen is not afraid to point out its obvious shortcomings, which include:

It is right next to a river prone to flooding. There are no plans to put in significant new flood defences. Climate change will make flooding worse.
It is preconditioned on moving the sewage works. That in turn is only being contemplated by the water company because the council has promised a massive multi-million pound subsidy. In other words the project is not viable unless subsidised.
The water company concerned, Thames Water, is bankrupt in all but name.
The proposed housing estate appears to have only one point of vehicular entry and exit?
The ‘Urban Village’ is neither ‘urban’ nor a ‘village’. It is car dependent and a long way from a mass transit system such as the railway. It is doubtful whether any profit motivated developer will wish to buy into it unless subsidised by the Council.

The project has a lot in common with Woking’s white elephant, follie de grandeur property development activities.