Regeneration of a brownfield site to create a vibrant riverside quarter on the River Wey

Located to the north-east of Guildford, Weyside Urban Village is a mixed-use redevelopment of a brownfield site which was allocated in the adopted Guildford Borough Local Plan and identified as one of the borough’s Strategic Development Sites. It will deliver a new community of 1,550 homes alongside the River Wey, and will be sensitively integrated and strongly connected with the adjacent Weyfield community.

JTP’s Reserved Matters Application (RMA) for Phase 1 received approval in July 2023 and the RMA for Phase 3 which includes 180 homes, designed to Passivhaus standards, and sensitively integrated with the retained Victorian pumping station, received approval in November 2024.

The site is bordered by the River Wey and a Riverside Nature Reserve to the east, the Slyfield Industrial Estate on the site’s northern boundary and the existing Weyfield neighbourhood on its western boundary. The landscape-led vision draws reference from the river and the surrounding countryside to deliver a walkable neighbourhood structured around a network of pedestrian, cycle and sustainable transport routes.

Homes will be delivered in a mix of house types including apartments, townhouses and mews house typologies to support a diverse and varied community. A new village centre will include a square, shop, café, nursery, and community space which will serve both existing and new residents.

Minimising the use of private cars is encouraged by the inclusion of the Sustainable Movement Corridor which prioritises sustainable movements through the site, including dedicated cycle routes, a network of green pedestrian routes and a bus network.

A range of unique assets including the Pump House and the Lock Keeper’s Cottage will be retained and enhanced to preserve the existing heritage of the site. The mixed-use local centre forms the heart of the new neighbourhood, acting as an integral part to the community ‘triangle’ comprising the existing Weyfield Primary Academy and the retained Pump House building.

In 2021, Weyside was selected as one of the Government’s first round of National Model Design Code (NMDC) pilot projects. Working with the council, JTP carried out a six-month programme to evaluate the application of the new NMDC methodology to Phase 1 of the project. JTP established a Community Review Panel of local residents and representatives from local groups and institutions which included the development of a Community Design Code based on the NMDC for Phase 1.