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Redevelopment plans submitted for Guildford Park Road car park

Redevelopment plans submitted for Guildford Park Road car park

Wates has submitted proposals for an £86 million project to be delivered in partnership with Guildford Borough Council. The proposed development is set to transform the underutilised Guildford Park Road car park into much-needed new homes. With the potential to deliver 248 new high-quality homes, the design includes 40% affordable council housing and appealing public spaces that celebrate the town’s unique character by creating a place fit for the future. 

The proposals have been carefully crafted by the design team to include family homes in a mix of dwelling types. Four apartment buildings (four to six storeys) as well as fifteen Townhouses (two to three storeys) are set either side of a central ‘Living Street’ which will prioritise pedestrians and cyclists in a landscaped social space.

Before submitting the plans, the team held consultations events across Guildford, including at The Rotunda on North Street, at the Student Union on the University of Surrey campus, and Grace Church, near the site. Receiving over 1,250 responses from the community, feedback has been positive with the majority of respondents supporting the proposals, and the project team has reviewed this feedback before submitting the planning application. 

Alongside the vital homes the project will have a lasting legacy for the community. Central to the plans is an extensive £11 million social value programme which will be delivered by Wates that will support a number of initiatives in the local community, including creating 40 new local jobs and provide training and upskilling opportunities. It will support all age groups through community initiatives such the Green Schools Project, graffiti clean-up project, 200 hours volunteering in the community and 39 work experience placements. More details are available on the project website.

Leader of the Council and Lead Councillor for Housing, Councillor Julia McShane, said:

“I’m pleased that the Council has been able to act on our long-held ambition to invest in underutilised, council-owned land and redevelop this site. It’s good to see plans for this strategic site progressing to the planning stage.

“The proposals include much-needed new homes for Guildford, with 40% of these owned and managed by the Council, for those who need them most. The project will truly transform the area for local communities.”

Lee Bushell, Regional Managing Director, Wates Residential, said: 

“Wates are proud to have developed a Social Value Action Plan that makes these proposals so valuable for Guildford. With the plan worth up to £11 million, this development won’t just deliver housing, it will contribute to creating more sustainable, prosperous and inclusive borough, in line with the key priorities of Guildford Borough Council and create a lasting impact for the community.” 

“We are delighted to have partnered with Guildford Borough Council on this project and look forward to delivering these much-needed new homes to a town we as a Group have such a long-established history with.”

Following the extensive consultation and development of the proposals, the planning application has now been submitted. These plans will follow the formal application process and reviewed at a future Planning Committee. We’re hopeful construction will begin by Summer 2026 with completion forecast towards the end of 2028.

To learn more about the submitted plans, please visit www.guildfordparkroad.com 

ENDS

Media Enquiries

Reece Pugh: rpugh@cascadecommunications.co.uk (020 7871 3564) (Main contact)
Albert Harrison: aharrison@cascadecommunications.co.uk (020 7871 3560)

Notes to editors

Images supplied:

Artist’s illustration of the apartment blocks on Guildford Park Road.

Artist’s illustration of the apartment blocks on Guildford Park Road.

Artist’s illustration of the townhouses viewing from the north end.

  • These proposals align with Guildford Borough Council’s key priorities. Discover how the council is working towards a Greener, Fairer, Thriving Guildford: www.guildford.gov.uk/corporatestrategy
  • Guildford Park Road car park is a Council-owned site that is allocated for redevelopment in Guildford Borough Council’s Local Plan. Guided by planning policies adopted in its Local Plan, the council wants to make better use of this car park by using the land for residential development. This development is part of a wider programme for housing-led regeneration of sites that Guildford Borough Council owns.
  • Guildford Borough Council selected Wates Construction as its development partner for the Guildford Park Road car park site in July 2024, via a competitive dialogue, tender and procurement process that began in June 2023.
  • Wates was established in 1897 and is one of the UK’s leading family-owned, construction, development and property services companies. Wates employs almost 6,000 people, working with a range of clients and partners from across the public and private sectors. Wates Group takes pride in working in partnership with local authorities, public bodies and housing associations to build high quality, mixed tenure housing schemes; driven by the belief that everyone deserves a great place to live.