Specialist Team Appointed To Support Park Barn Regeneration

Published on: 28 Aug, 2026
Updated on: 28 Aug, 2026

Boarded up and unoccupied – a council house in Park Barn. Taken in December 2025.

Guildford Borough Council has appointed specialist architecture and community engagement consultancy Levitt Bernstein to lead a team to support the first phase of the Westborough and Park Barn Better Homes Programme.

The appointment marks an important next step in the programme, which aims to improve homes and neighbourhoods while ensuring residents play a central role in shaping future proposals.

Levitt Bernstein, WR-AP, ZCD Architects and Kanda Consulting are a team of award-winning architects, landscape architects, urban designers and engagement specialists with recognised expertise in community-led estate regeneration projects.

Over the coming months, the council and this team will work with residents, community groups and stakeholders to better understand the area’s priorities, challenges and aspirations. This work will help inform an improvement strategy for Westborough and Park Barn. No decisions have yet been made about longer-term proposals for the area.

Cllr Julia McShane

Cllr Julia McShane (Lib Dem, Westborough), leader of the council and Lead Councillor for Housing, said: “We know people want to see positive changes in their neighbourhood. The demolition work is the first visible step in the Better Homes Programme, and we’re excited to work with residents to create a new green community space on the Roundhill Way site while we continue to develop longer-term plans together.

“We’re committed to keeping people informed through regular updates, engagement events and opportunities to get involved. If you’re a resident and you would like to help shape the future of your community, join our engagement group to share your views, ideas and knowledge as the programme progresses.”

Cllr Howard Smith

But Westborough’ Labour councillor Howard Smith, while happy to see some progress, said: “It’s hard to escape the feeling that none of this would have been done without the campaign I have been leading in the three years since I was elected for the ward.

“It’s good that a few of the unsafe homes have been demolished and also that attention is at last being focussed. But engaging teams of advisors and consultants’ shows how little confidence and imagination the Liberal Democrat administration possess and ultimately how slow progress will be.

“The Park Barn and Westborough area of Guildford is one of the most deprived in Surrey and I fear will remain so for years to come despite the government allocating large sums of money to the council for its benefit.”

Cllr Vanessa King

Explaining the choice of consultants, Cllr Vanessa King (Lib Dem, Stoke), deputy leader of the council and Lead Councillor for Economy and Place, said: “Appointing the right team to support this important programme was a priority for us. The consultant was selected through a robust two-stage competitive procurement process, with residents directly involved in the assessment stages.

“We wanted to appoint a partner with the right skills and experience to work collaboratively with our communities. Tenders were assessed on quality, approach and value for money, alongside their commitment to meaningful resident engagement.

“Levitt Bernstein, in collaboration with WR-AP, ZCD Architects and Kanda Consulting, will work with the council and residents on Phase One of the Better Homes Programme, helping us understand community priorities and develop an improvement strategy for the area. By involving residents in the procurement process, we’ve already started to embed community voices at the heart of this project.”

Demolition work is also progressing on several council-owned empty homes across Westborough and Park Barn as part of the Better Homes Programme. Two properties on Southway and four on Roundhill Way have been demolished. The properties were no longer structurally safe to live in.

Their removal addresses safety concerns and the cleared Roundhill Way site will be transformed into a temporary green community space. The council will work closely with residents to understand how they would like the space to be used, helping to create a welcoming and attractive environment while longer-term plans for the area are developed.

A further eleven structurally unsafe properties are scheduled for demolition in the coming months.

Alongside this work, the council is bringing other empty homes in Westborough and Park Barn back into use to help meet local housing need. Four previously vacant properties have already been refurbished and let to local people, with work on a further six homes due to be completed soon.

A council spokesperson said: “Residents can find out more about the Better Homes Programme, register their interest in joining the Community Engagement Group and keep up to date with the latest news at www.guildford.gov.uk/westboroughandparkbarn, email wpb-betterhomes@guildford.gov.uk or call 01483 505050.”