News From Millmead

Published on: 30 Sep, 2019
Updated on: 3 Oct, 2019

A round-up of news from Guildford Borough Council

Revitalising Stoke Park and investing £380,000

Stoke Park will be “revitalised” after councillors agreed to invest in a masterplan to improve and protect the public open space.

The council states the masterplan “will ensure the award-winning park continues to balance the health, wellbeing and recreational needs of residents, while maintaining its unique character and use as a multi-use community facility”.

The beauty of Guildford’s Stoke Park.

At a meeting on September 24 councillors approved the proposed design brief and committed £380,000 to the project.

Stoke Park is rich in heritage evolving from a royal deer park into countryside estate thanks to William Aldersey, from the East India Company. The now 52 hectare park was bought by the former Guildford Corporation in 1925. Surrey Gardens Trust has included the park in a list of Historic Parks and Gardens and with over a quarter of million visitors to the gardens alone, over 800 sports bookings and 90 events and activities each year, it plays a very significant role to the community .

The council’s lead councillor for arts, parks and countryside, Pauline Searle (Lib Dem, Stoughton) said: “When asked during consultation, 94% of residents confirmed Stoke Park ‘makes Guildford a better place to live and work’ and they would like to see improved play facilities, an improved catering offer, better parking, a formal network communicating about the park and upgraded year-round facilities.

“We will be exploring the priorities identified in the consultation.”

With the council this summer announcing a climate change emergency, Cllr Searle added: “Our parks team already works in a very sustainable way; for example using recycled water, preserving our wildlife and ecosystems and reducing the use of harmful pesticides.

“Our tree planted green spaces contribute towards ‘urban forests’ that help mitigate carbon emissions, provide cool shaded areas and bodies of water in parks can also help to cool the air in our town. The new masterplan will ensure we continue to expand on this and we will consult with our residents further as ideas are developed.”

Latest development for revamp of museum 

The council reports that work is continuing on this “long term and complex redevelopment project, involving many partners and stakeholders”.

Technical input, detailed designs, and a refined scope – reducing risk and cost – will take the scheme on to the next stage.

A new funding strategy which includes a National Heritage Lottery Funding bid has also been developed.

The funding strategy is subject to final approval by the full council on October 8.

Protecting important town centre views

Developers will now have to consider how a number of criteria may impact upon protected views when submitting a planning application. These include height, maintaining key landscape or built character elements, materials and landscaping.

The Guildford Town Centre Views Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) was adopted at the council’s Executive at a meeting on Tuesday, September 24.

The council consulted on the draft SPD this summer and feedback from the consultation helped shape the final planning document. There are now 15 important views identified relating to Guildford town centre which are:

River Wey corridor:
Dapdune Wharf, looking south.
Wey-South Path at Shalford, looking north.

Town centre approach:
Stoke Park, looking south-west.
Pewley Down, looking north-west.
St Catherine’s Hill, looking north.
Hog’s Back, looking north-east.
Farnham Road looking east.

Town centre:
Sydenham Road / Bright Hill, looking north.
High Street looking west.
Quarry Street, looking north.
Castle Motte, looking north-west.
Town Bridge, looking east.
Town Bridge, looking west.
The Mount, looking east.
Stag Hill, looking south-east.

Discover your inner artist with 2019’s Big Draw festival

The Big Draw is back this October with the theme of ‘drawn to life’.

This is the seventh year the council has co-ordinated a programme of workshops at a variety of venues throughout the borough.

Highlights include a sewing session on a boat on the river from Dapdune Wharf, make a scroll at Guildford Cathedral, have a go at dot painting at the Park Barn Centre and pebble painting at the Lakeside Nature Reserve at Ash Vale.

Mary Branson, patron and artist of Guildford Big Draw 2019 with Surrey Outdoor Learning and Development skipper, Tom.

The borough’s Big Draw patron for the second year is Guildford-based light installation artist Mary Branson.

The festival runs from Saturday, October 5, until Saturday, November 2. To see all available sessions visit: https://www.guildford.gov.uk/visitguildford/TheBigDraw

Join the mailing list by sending an email to: artsdevelopment@guildford.gov.uk

Continued investment and expansion of Joint Enforcement Team (JET)

The council’s Joint Enforcement Team (JET) deal with residents’ issues, bringing together the enforcement powers of key teams from across the council and the work of colleagues from Surrey Police.

This includes antisocial behaviour, unauthorised traveller encampments, dog fouling, fly tipping and littering, among others.

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