• The long-awaited review of the boundary of the Surrey Hills AONB or, as it is now called, Surrey Hills National Landscape, has been published. The report recommends expansion of the designated area, including within Guildford Borough, which we support and welcome.  Government will now consider the formal next steps.

• Guildford Borough Council is proposing a revised Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on Climate Change, Sustainable Design, Construction and Energy, 2024.  A draft of the document was issued for comments in July, and the final version is expected this autumn. The revisions take account of changes in in legislation and practice since the previous version was issued in 2020.

• GBC has also announced that it is preparing an SPD on building height. It is anticipated that a draft will be available for consultation before the end of this year. GRa is in favour of the increasing the controls on heights in the town and we look forward to seeing the proposals,

SCC scheme for London Road, Guildford

The roadworks that were announced as starting in January on London Road will be subject of consultation. SCC has said that a public meeting will be held in January 2023 (date noy yet announced). The key issue is the disruption that is likely to be caused by making London Road on-way only for several months in order to create better cycle lanes. The effects on Burpham and Merrow in particular could be serious.

Local Plan – Development Management Policies

The public examination of the second part of the Local Plan, the DMPs, was held in November. The Inspector has now published his proposed revisions to some of the policies, and there will now be a period of public consultation (closing on 2^nd February) during which we will comment on the changes being put forward.  https://guildford.inconsult.uk/LPDMPMM/consultationHome

St Mary’s Wharf

The proposals for the redevelopment of the Debenham’s site in the centre of Guildford were approved by the GBC Planning Committee in November 2022. 

North Street/Friary Quarter development proposals

The application by St Edward for the major development in the centre of the Guildford seems likely to go before the GBC Planning Committee in January 2023. SCC has raised concerns about the proposals for the bus station, and is recommending that the southern access into the bus station be retained. 

Sewage Treatment Works – Slyfield

The application to Surrey CC by Thames Water to construct a new sewage treatment works at Slyfield was approved on 10^th November 2022.  There are numerous conditions attached to the permission. Subsequently, there have been further applications  made setting out proposals for meeting various conditions during the construction process.  (SCC is the statutory authority for planning matters related to minerals and waste-related developments.)

Shaping Guildford’s Future

This is a project being carried out by consultants for Guildford BC, and the funding for the next stage was approved in September 2022.  The reports that have been published are available to be read at this website https://shapingguildford.co.uk/news.  The focus of the project is the riverside and the immediate surrounding area, and the scope is comprehensive, starting with flood control measures.  A key issue is the future of the gyratory and achieving modal shift.  

The second stage of the Local Plan includes the adoption of Development Management Polices (DMPs) which will apply to development carried out in the borough, replacing those that have been in place since 2003.  GBC published the draft DMPS for consultation and GRA submitted the attached response, with the help of input from members.

The consultation draft of the DMPs can be seen  here:

https://guildford.inconsult.uk/gf2.ti/f/1136322/72046981.1/PDF/-/FINAL_Regulation_18_Plan_Inc._Appendices.pdf

On March 11, the Department for Transport published its Road Investment Strategy 2 (RIS2) which covers the period 2020-2025. The scheme to improve J10 M25/A3 (with widening of the A3 from Ockham roundabout to Painshill junction) is included in the list of schemes for implementation.  The strategy also includes a list of schemes that will be prepared for implementation in RIS3. There is one A3 scheme included in the pipeline which is described as A£/A247 Ripley South. But there is no mention of a scheme to improve the A3 in Guildford from the A31 to the A320, which has been studied by Highways England, and has been seen by GBC as a key infrastructure element in the new Local Plan. GBC and SCC will no doubt be considering the consequences for the Local Plan as soon as possible.  

Guildford Borough Council Planning Committee voted unanimously against the Solum development, but the developers appealed against the decision.  In spite of the very large numbers of objections across Guildford and by GRA members, the appeal was won and the development will now go ahead.