Letter: Solum’s Guildford Station Scheme Fails on Too Many Levels

Published on: 13 Sep, 2019
Updated on: 15 Sep, 2019

From Alistair Smith

Chairman Guildford Society

In response to: Rage, Rage At The Building Of The Blight That Is Solum’s ‘Great Wall Of Guildford’

The Guildford Society concurs with the arguments in Martin Giles’s Opinion piece on Guildford development.  But he doesn’t mention the other problems with the scheme as consented.

It fails to provide a modern integrated transport interchange for the town, fails to allow for potential growth in rail services and traffic, fails to tackle the mess that is the west side of the station, including access and fails to tackle congestion near the station eg Farnham Road Bridge.

An effective planning system, local government, and a willing landowner, Network Rail, a public body, proved to be short-term in thinking and incapable of engaging effectively with the local community. They could have developed a new quarter for Guildford based on the east and west sides of the station which could have provided a stunning addition to the town.
Instead, we have a development which severely compromises the development of the town and its transport infrastructure. Guildford station is a key strategic asset for the South-east of England, the present development is a once-in-a-century opportunity missed for Guildford and the surrounding area.

The Guildford Society will continue to try to persuade Network Rail, Solum and others to think again.

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