The four prominent Guildford town centre sites that could be completely transformed in major regeneration scheme

Prominent Guildford town centre sites including the former Royal Mail offices, police HQ and former Casino nightclub building could be redeveloped for housing and leisure as park of a major council project.

The town has been no stranger to major redevelopment work in recent years with current schemes including the Weyside Urban Village project in Bellfields, the redevelopment of the Debenhams building and the North Street works

It is fair to say if someone were to visit Surrey’s county town now, and then again in ten or twenty years; they would see a significant difference.

More change is planned for the future with the most recent development news out of Guildford Borough Council being arguably some of the most significant in the last few years.

Guildford Borough Council’s Executive held a meeting recently to discuss the next phase of work on the Shaping Guildford’s Future (SGF) regeneration project. A scheme which has been part of the council’s policy since it was created in 2020.

In the five years since, it began the SGF project has seen considerable progress in the form of the Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS), alongside other projects, but, arguably the biggest update on the future of the scheme has come from the meeting.

Guildford Borough Council has said they are preparing planning briefs for four renowned sites in the town centre area ahead of their proposed regeneration with the ultimate goal of ‘shaping Guildford’s future’.

Deputy Leader and Lead Councillor for Regeneration, Cllr Tom Hunt said: “The Shaping Guildford’s Future regeneration project will transform the area along the riverside. The river is our town’s most significant natural asset and the central focus for the regeneration, putting us in a strong position to deliver on our key priorities.”

“This is an opportunity for us to make a lasting difference – to shape a better town, to embrace the riverside, to build on our strong local economy and create a lasting legacy for future generations.”

The first of these sites earmarked for regeneration is the Millmead Council Office site, which council staff partly moved out of in 2022 due to the building being considered “old”.

The next site which the Council are preparing planning briefs for it’s regeneration is the Woodbridge Meadows area. The site, which is based on the banks of the River Wey on the edge of the town centre currently consists Guildford’s Royal Mail offices as well as the town’s Porsche centre among other retailers.

Due to the early stages of the planning project, it has not yet been detailed how much of this site will be regenerated. However, from the concept images of the proposed development, included in this article, it seemingly depicts the area where the Royal Mail offices are currently situated being redeveloped.

The third of four sites proposed for regeneration in the report is the Guildford Police Station site and nearby Mary Road surface car park.

Plans for the station’s staff to move out of the town centre site have been in the works since 2024 as the force plans to redevelop the Mount Browne site just outside of the town.

While, once again due to Guildford’s council being in initial stages of planning; it is unclear what the Guildford police headquarters could become as part of it’s regeneration.

The fourth and final site earmarked for regeneration is the former Casino nightclub site and nearby Bedford Road surface site car park.

The former-Casino nightclub, which now goes under the name ‘Y Bar’ is considered part of the Quadrant, a 14.869 sq ft site of retail and leisure space set over four properties.

The building is currently up for sale, as of March this year, and buyers have been invited to imagine it as an office, hotel or residential block.

Alongside the Quadrant building for regeneration is the close-by Bedford Road car park. The car park’s surface site has been put forward for regeneration by Guildford Borough Council.

The car park site being referred to is not the Bedford Road multi-storey car park, but rather the surface car park behind the aforementioned Quadrant building.

Guildford Borough Council explained that these four site has “specific factor(s)” driving their prioritisation for regeneration. And, provided the examples that the Casino site is currently being marketed for sale as well as the fact that Surrey Police will be relocating to its new HQ at Mount Browne and subsequently looking to “dispose of their asset”.

Lead Councillor for Planning, Cllr Fiona White stated: “We want our borough to thrive, and planning plays a vital part in securing a successful future for Guildford. By creating planning briefs for key areas, we can support consistent and high-quality development, promote good use of available land, and deliver sustainable communities for our residents and businesses.”

“We’ll continue to work with the Shaping Guildford’s Future team and partner organisations to finalise the planning briefs for these four strategic sites, and to plan for positive growth in our borough.”

As part of this Shaping Guildford’s Future (SGF) report, the council states a key component of the projects will be to “avoid continued decline in attractiveness of Guildford town centre”.

Additionally the report states that ensuring priorities are also with “deliver(ing) housing and employment space within the town centre on council-owned land”, is crucial in the project, as it will thereby support the requirements for the borough.