Sale of ‘The Quadrant’ Site Could Offer Major Town Centre Development Opportunity

Published on: 7 Mar, 2025
Updated on: 9 Mar, 2025

The Quadrant site on the corner of Bridge Street and Onslow Street. CBRE

By Martin Giles

The Quadrant site on the corner of Bridge Street and Onslow Street, which includes the nightclub “Y” previously known as “Aux”, “The Drink” and “The Casino”, is up for sale with what is likely to be a £multi-million price tag.

Michel Harper

Michel Harper, 67, has made the decision to put the site on the market after several failed attempts to sell over the previous two decades and an inability to get his own redevelopment plans approved. He now hopes to spend more time in retirement.

In September (2024), Mr Harper took a hands-on approach to reopen the nightclub, which had suddenly closed in the previous April. His company had “exercised forfeiture” following a police search of the club and the arrest of a 32-year-old man from Guildford on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

A view of the site from the west. CBRE

The Quadrant site occupies a prominent position that wraps around the north-east corner of Bridge Street, in the core of Guildford’s town centre and directly opposite the Friary shopping centre. It is one of the last remaining prime undeveloped sites in Guildford town centre.

As the sales brochure, issued by agents CBRE, points out: The Quadrant site of 0.26 acres comprises a “net internal area (NIA) of 14,869 sq ft, spread across four properties and is strategically situated at the centre of a number of regeneration projects including Guildford railway station, North Street Regeneration and Native Land’s redevelopment of the former Debenhams.

The Quadrant is centrally located between a number of other town-centre sites undergoing redevelopment. CBRE

The site is believed to have potential for several types of use including residential, student accommodation, assisted living, shared living, office accommodation (subject to planning) or it could even be continued as a nightclub. Offers are being invited for the Freehold Interest, subject to contract.

Cllr Tom Hunt

Tom Hunt (Lib Dem, St Nicolas), GBC’s deputy leader and lead councillor for Regeneration, said: “The sale of The Quadrant site provides an interesting development opportunity for this part of the town centre.

“The site lends itself to several uses, and we are open to discussions with the future owners. Work is ongoing to create a brief for this site, which will help shape future development. This will help to maintain Guildford’s character, and secure a high-quality development that links in with the wider town centre regeneration.”

Cllr Hunt’s comment that the council is “open to discussions” indicates that the redevelopment potential could be increased if the council-owned car park to the rear of the Quadrant were included in any plan.

Aerial pic showing council-ownership of adjacent area. CBRE

The view of Guildford Vision Group’s chair

John Rigg, the chair of the Guildford Vision Group and former R4GV lead councillor for Regeneration, was more expansive in his answers to questions posed by the Dragon.

What is your reaction to the news that the site is once again for sale?

This site has been marketed a number of times previously and, for one reason or another, the vendor decided not to proceed, despite considerable interest shown. I hope this time, if the vendor does not change his mind again, we can attract a quality developer to Guildford for this important site.

John Rigg

How do you think the site could best be redeveloped for the benefit of the town?

It is a gateway site in Guildford to Bedford Wharf and the riverside. It has been deteriorating for years. A competent leading developer, with urban regeneration expertise, would be able to deliver a new, exciting quarter for Guildford. The site could deliver attractive and sustainable uses within a proper master plan offering many or any of these uses.

“Shaping Guildford’s Future” (SGF) points the way. By incorporating the nearby surface car parks and other adjoining sites, with perhaps the cinema, court buildings and police station, we can have a new urban village with a riverside setting, town squares, riverside walks and tree-lined boulevards, as well as new residential and employment accommodation.

The council needs to show urgent leadership in situations like this. Otherwise, any sale of The Quadrant risks us ending up with a one-off, compromised development squeezed into an already overdeveloped site. It would deliver none of the potential benefits I’ve outlined. Joined-up thinking is required and the council must urgently indicate publicly its willingness to discuss wider and better solutions than just developing this site.

Will it be possible or desirable to impose a height limit?

It will be both possible and desirable. It will require the council to action the SGF master plan by approving its general direction of travel. This gives it planning weight. Or it can put in place planning controls such as an Area Action Plan, or an SPD including ambitions on height. So far it has not actioned any part of the SGF master plan. SGF is a £2.5 million investment in Guildford’s health and prosperity, and goes far beyond the work most councils require to adopt such a plan.

Big projects require increasing levels of expertise. The council and councillors may not have available such expertise. It is one reason why the government is pressing for larger unitary councils, who hopefully will have the skills available to take on major urban regeneration to deliver the high-quality environment Guildford deserves.

Should the council consider selling the adjacent car park to increase the potential of a new development?

Absolutely. Let’s be clear – the council does not have the skills or resources in house to bring forward regeneration on this scale. Few councils have.

Inclusion of the council-owned car park to the rear of The Quadrant could increase redevelopment potential significantly. CBRE

Hopefully the planners will urgently put in place planning guidelines or a planning brief to deliver and safeguard the delivery of all the planning gain for a site like this. The combined site could deliver hugely for the community – riverside walks, town squares, flood alleviation works, adequate provision of nurseries, medical Centres, schools etc.

Only the private sector can bring forward such proposals as part of a comprehensive development.

The biggest cause of degeneration in Guildford has sadly been council control and unambitious planning policies. This leads to stagnation – North Street lay derelict for nearly 30 years.

The council needs to put in place a Bedford Wharf project team urgently, to produce a simple planning brief now which can be taken into account by developers who are bidding for the Casino site so they are aware of the bigger opportunity that might be available .

Fingers crossed, we do not end up with a Guildford station type of development which came forward without a Development brief from the council and missed the opportunity for a better outcome.