Weyside Village Contract Awarded, Officers Warn of Delay Risks

Published on: 6 Nov, 2026
Updated on: 6 Nov, 2026

Four storey apartment blocks in phase three Weyside Urban Village development. GBC

By James Moules

local democracy reporter

A major update has been issued on the future of a huge regeneration project in Guildford. A £10 million contract has been awarded to get the next stages of the major industrial estate redevelopment works underway.

Guildford Borough Council’s cabinet has approved the deal for Natta Building Company Ltd to proceed with infrastructure works on the Weyside Urban Village project. It comes as part of a major programme that will see vast swathes of the Slyfield Industrial Estate repurposed to make way for more than 1,500 new homes.

Cllr Vanessa King

Deputy council leader Vanessa King (Lib Dem, Stoke) said: “This contract brings forward an important step in the delivery of Weyside Urban Village.” She added that the infrastructure works resulting from this contract are “critical to unlocking future development across the site”.

The works will include site preparation, demolition and ground investigations as well as highways, drainage and other civil engineering projects. Guildford plans to award a contract worth a total of £10.4 million for these works.

Cllr King added: “The recommended value sits within the approved programme budget, and a competitive procurement process has been undertaken.” The main works associated with this phase of the Weyside Urban Village project are expected to begin from April 2027, although some survey work may commence ahead of this time.

An officers’ report ahead of the cabinet meeting stressed that a swift awarding of this contract is “critical” to allow the council to proceed with marketing the site. “Any delay to the procurement or delivery of these works would extend the overall programme, potentially delaying housing delivery and the receipt of anticipated capital income to the council for housing,” the report says.

The construction works on this phase of the programme are expected to last for 18 months, the documents add. Weyside Urban Village was granted outline planning permission in October 2021, with a hefty budget of £453 million and an expected completion date of 2035.

Upon the completion of Guildford’s new depot in September, Cllr King said: “I’m incredibly proud of the vision behind the Weyside Urban Village regeneration scheme. Our vision was always to provide new homes supported with the right infrastructure. That vision has enabled us to transform a former landfill site into this modern new depot.

“Moving services to this site will unlock the next phase of the Weyside Urban Village regeneration, helping us deliver much-needed homes and wider benefits for our communities.”