Located in the heart of Guildford town centre, the Friary Quarter will play a pivotal role in delivering much-needed new homes for the borough, as well as boasting high-quality placemaking, architecture, landscaping and public realm in the creation of a new quarter and cultural destination for the town. The proposals will deliver 471 new homes in a range of sizes from studio apartments to three-bedroom homes with 65% of homes benefiting from either dual or triple aspect.

The variety of ground floor mixed-uses will provide new spaces to eat, shop, visit, meet and play addressing new public realm and reconnecting historic streets and routes. The plans have committed to delivering two of Guildford Borough Council’s long held strategic ambitions; a striking and accessible new bus interchange and the extensive pedestrianisation of North Street which will remove over 300 vehicles an hour to create a safer, more welcoming environment with improved air quality for shoppers, residents and visitors.

Maximising the opportunity to provide greening and biodiversity throughout the masterplan, the project sets a new benchmark for sustainability with gas free energy, all electric charging car park, over 100 new trees, approximately 70% reduction in CO2 emissions and circa 200% net biodiversity gain with living roofs on all rooftops. The living roofs will incorporate a range of flower-rich plant species, including plants for pollinators to support and promote wildlife within the urban environment.

Various typologies have been included in the design including placemaker buildings that draw people into the site; silhouette buildings facing the River Wey; narrow buildings that sit comfortably within the established finer grain of North Street; and gateway buildings built on the substantial footprints of the Leapale Road buildings, defining a key route into the town centre.

The Friary Quarter will have a varied architectural approach whilst embracing its own character and respecting the heritage of the site’s surroundings and the town’s rich history. The dominance of red brick in Guildford is a key characteristic and the palette of materials has been established around this with several tones of red at its heart. Layering of further colours and textures make this palette feel contemporary and varied.

The local community, stakeholder groups and statutory consultees have been engaged throughout the course of the design process working alongside St Edward and the wider team to develop the plans. Online webinars throughout Covid-19 ran in parallel to a website to allow members of the public to stay up to date and provide feedback on proposals.

“This planning approval represents the start of a new chapter and life for a site that has been dormant for so long. The Friary Quarter will provide a rejuvenated heart for Guildford and play a pivotal role in the opportunity for the local people to have a thriving destination to live, visit, shop and meet. JTP is delighted to have worked with St Edward to achieve this significant accomplishment and approval.”

– Ian Fenn, Partner at JTP