Latest News
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Impact of the New Government View article
As a new Labour government takes charge, it is worth looking at the Labour Manifesto as to how the new government might affect the bult environment and natural environment of Guildford Borough. Obviously, any Political Manifesto has to be ... View article
Local Climate Change Policies View article
Guildford Borough Council (GBC) has produced a Draft Climate Change, Sustainable Design, Construction and Energy Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). SPDs provide detailed guidance on how the Council will apply planning policy ... View article
Summary - Annual General Meeting 2024 View article
The Society welcomed it's members to the 88th meeting of the Society in it's present form. The Annual report in shortened form can be found below. The second part of the meeting consisted of a short presentation on the Guildford To... View article
Stag Hill and Wisley Developments - Determination. View article
The Stag Hill Cathedral Site development was rejected by the council. The developers Vivid and the Cathedral appealed the decision. The inspector has now reported his decision and rejected the appeal.
The inspector’s ... View article
Guildford Police Station Proposed for Closure View article
Surrey police have announced that the police station in Woodbridge road will close and the majority of activities will transfer to the revamped Mount Browne site to the south of the town. A counter service will remain in the Town Centre. ... View article
Ladymead - more Housing? View article
The building currently used by Allianz is subject to a prior notification (24/W/00044) to turn the building into flats. This application doesn’t impact the exterior of the building and will provide 131 Flats on the second to fourth floors... View article
New Development: Height must be managed. View article
Recent approved schemes in the centre of Guildford have shown that large developments are not well controlled by the Local Plan Strategic Sites (LPSS) 2019 and its accompanying Development Management Policies (DMP). There is a lack of effective... View article
Leave the Car at Home View article
Surrey Hill National Lanscape (Previously the Surrey Hills Area of Outstsing National Beauty (AONB)) has lauched a guide of walks in the North Downs accessible via the Rail Network and in some cases by the bus network.
Leaving the car ... View article
Solar Power Planning - Updated 21-5-24 View article
The University have applied for a solar farm to be situated to the west of the Research Park. The proposed farm covers three fields which are in the Greenbelt and could also be affected by an extension to the National Landscape area which is still un... View article
Guildford Society Aims and Objectives View article
Although the aims and objectives of the Guildford Society have not changed, it is appropriate periodically to highlight areas the Society is concentrating on.
Reminder of our Aims and Objectives
We are the Guildford Civic Society... View article
Two Vibrancy Reports published for UK Towns View article
Two organisations have published recently ‘vitality indexes’ for towns in 2023. The Vitality indexes are different in approach one concentrating on retail whilst the other concentrates on a far wider range of metrics. but have ... View article
Walnut Tree Close – Riverside View article
Portland Capital the owners of the Riverside Business Centre on Walnut Tree Close are starting a consultation on their plans to redevelop the site to provide, in their words, “a new integrated neighbourhood, providing a mix of sustainable housi... View article
Clandon House - Latest Plans View article
At a meeting on 27th March 20124, members of the Guildford Society, and their guests, welcomed Kent Rawlinson, National Trust Project Director and Sophie Chessum, Project Curator at St Catherine’s Hall to hear the latest plans for the fut... View article
Large Buildings, New Regulations View article
Recent government announcements have made new demands on the internal planning of High Residential buildings by requiring extra staircases, in addition building these high buildings has become subject to a more rigorous three stage gateway system to ... View article
Flood Risk Management Scheme for Guildford Town Centre View article
Guildford Town Centre has a long history of flooding from the River Wey. Flooding risk will get worse with climate change. If measures are not taken flood events are likely to be more frequent and severe.
A flood defence scheme to protect Guildfor... View article
Small, Expensive, Outdated Housing View article
The Resolution Foundation has published its first Housing Outlook for 2024.
The report highlights that Britain’s housing offers the worst value for money of any advanced economy, combining high prices with old, cramped, poorly insulated buil... View article
Selected National & Local Planning Policies
The Guildford Society
The Guildford Society has been an active voice, speaking up for the town and its surrounding countryside and villages for over a century.
While mindful of the past, our heritage and precious environment, we look firmly to the future
We recognise that development must, and will, take place. However, we do not believe this should be at the expense of Guildford’s historic character and beauty, nor of the unspoilt countryside that surrounds it.
We want our town to be vibrant, attractive, and liveable. We support development that brings a sense of place and enhances the best aspects of our town. If such aims can be embraced, we believe Guildford has the chance to lead the way in enabling sensitive and sustainable development.
Pressures for development are increasing. Planning rules are being eased. The Society’s commitment to standing up for Guildford is needed more than ever.
Other Organisations
The Society engages with a variety of other organisations who share our interests and we share their links for information. We are also include links to Guildford Borough Council and other Government bodies and Developers of key sites. Finally we include other links of interest that are related to the borough.