New Council Depot Progressing on Schedule

Published on: 19 Jan, 2026
Updated on: 21 Jan, 2026

Guildford Borough Council’s new depot under construction. GBC

Progress on a new depot for Guildford Borough Council’s, part of the wider Weyside Urban Village regeneration, is progressing well, says the council.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in July 2026 ahead of staff moving in later during the year. The modern facility is to provide essential infrastructure to support the council’s operational services to run more efficiently and sustainably.

By moving the depot to a new location the existing site will be made available for much-needed housing as part of the Weyside Urban Village scheme.

The new depot site includes three main buildings:

Depot building: a three-storey hub for operational teams, featuring offices, training rooms, meeting spaces, and welfare facilities. It will provide storage facilities, including a secure museum store. A fully equipped vehicle workshop will accommodate heavy goods vehicles.
Multi-storey car park: located to the north of the site, the car park will be used for service vehicles, staff and visitors. It will include electric vehicle (EV) charging points and infrastructure for future EV expansion.
Storage building: dedicated secure storage for grit and salt to support winter operations, alongside general storage and specialist equipment rooms are being provided.

Significant progress is said to have been made across all areas, with structural works complete on the car park and storage building. Infrastructure to support future fleet electrification, including refuse vehicles and gritters, has been installed, alongside fuel and vehicle wash facilities. Internal fit-out is now underway. External fencing and landscaping works are scheduled to begin soon.

Cllr Julia McShane

Julia McShane (Lib Dem, Westborough), leader of Guildford Borough Council, said, “This investment will free up land for much-needed housing in our borough. It has given us an opportunity to design and build a new depot that will enable us to deliver essential services more efficiently and reduce environmental impact. This supports our commitment to becoming a more sustainable borough.”

Patrick Murphy, Divisional Director at McLaren Construction, commented, “The new depot is taking shape nicely and is on course for completion in the summer. You can already get a sense of how big a team and how many of the council’s services can be accommodated together here.”

“Some of the features that make this a step change in facilities are already in place, such as charging infrastructure for a future fleet of council vehicles. The site’s capabilities will really come to life as we connect water and electricity supplies over the next few months.”

“It’s been a real pleasure to get to know new colleagues from the Guildford area as they have taken their first steps in construction industry careers. We hope they will be proud of the work they have done on the depot and will use their skills for many years to come.”