Relocation of Council Depot Going Ahead – Releasing Land for New Housing

Published on: 10 Apr, 2025
Updated on: 10 Apr, 2025

CGI image of the new depot. Picture supplied by GBC

Construction of Guildford Borough Council’s new depot is set to begin following the appointment of McLaren Construction (Southern) Limited as the main contractor.

It will be built on previously developed land near the Slyfield Industrial Estate. Once a waste landfill site, the area has been cleared and decontaminated.

The council says relocating the depot will release valuable land for new housing.

A council statement says: “The new facility will allow the council to co-locate services into a single, purpose-built location and improve service efficiency. Once completed, it will be home to several council departments and services, including the teams that empty the bins, clean the streets, and manage parks and green spaces. Housing services and some administration teams will also be based there.”

The site will feature new modern office space, an MoT testing centre, engineering workshops and storage for the museum. The depot will also be equipped with green technologies, such as electric vehicle charging bays.

The main works contract sum for the new depot is £38,360,000.

The old depot is moving from number 9 on the map to number 6.

Cllr Tom Hunt (Lib Dem, St Nicolas) the council’s deputy leader and Lead Councillor for Regeneration, said: “Relocating the current depot will release valuable land for the development of much-needed new housing in our borough.

Cllr Tom Hunt

“Over the past six months, we’ve worked closely with McLaren Construction during a robust and thorough design process. This means we’re well-prepared before the construction of this important project begins.

“The new facility has been designed with input from the staff who will be based there, and a focus on sustainability and improving operational efficiency. The buildings will use less energy, less water and significantly reduce our carbon emissions. The inclusion of electric charging bays for vehicles will also support a transition to a greener fleet.

“I’m delighted that construction can now begin.”

David Gavin, managing director for industrial and logistics at McLaren Construction, said: “At a time of limited budgets, the new depot delivers comfortable and attractive working environments for a wide range of council functions while also achieving great value for money. It should have a long and useful life for the council, adapting easily as the range of services and technologies change.”

Construction of the new depot is expected to complete in summer 2026.

Once it becomes operational, the present depot site in Woking Road will be redeveloped as part of the Weyside Urban Village regeneration scheme. This project aims to deliver 1,550 new homes to help meet the borough’s housing needs. It is part of a programme for housing-led regeneration of sites that the council owns. The scheme will also include new health facilities, community, employment and green spaces, as well as improvements to existing infrastructure.

The council said its new depot supports its long-term goal of becoming a NET Zero Carbon Borough by 2030.