Work to deliver the first phase of highways upgrades to the south of North Street has now completed. Any further work in this area is not expected to require closures or diversions of vehicle or pedestrian traffic.

From 5^th January, the next phase of highways works will begin. Initially, work will be limited to investigations on a corner of the footpath where Woodbridge Road meets Onslow Street, opposite Laundry Road. This will result in minor diversions for pedestrians, but will have no impact on vehicle traffic. Pedestrian routes and crossings will be clearly marked with signage.

From 20^th January, depending on the results of this investigation, work will either begin to widen the carriageway in the same location, or instead, to reconfigure the road layout at the junction where Commercial Road meets Woodbridge Road, where buses depart the terminal. Neither course of works is expected to require disruptive road closures or diversions onto new routes.

Further details will be released in January 2026.

A planning application was submitted in June 2025 to enable a number of positive amendments to the approved development. Some of these changes are necessary to address newly-adopted legislation for building safety requirements as well as enhancements to the new homes and public spaces. The key amendments are summarised below:

• Additional evacuation lifts added to buildings where required, resulting in internal layout changes to homes and some revision to the overall housing mix and total
• Increase in total number of homes from 477 to 485
• Revisions to floor to ceiling heights, resulting in a decrease to Blocks B and C, a slight increase to Block D and an increase of 1.56m to Block E resulting in one additional storey
• Increase in floorspace and layout amendments to the medical centre to align with NHS requirements
• Elevational changes include larger windows and amended designs of the balcony balustrading
• Revisions to basement layouts to accommodate additional plant including a backup generator
• Amendments to the commercial units to enhance usability and architectural design
• Increased public spaces and an enhanced sense of arrival to the development, with facilitation for increased play provision, more green landscaping and tree planting

This application will be considered by Guildford Borough Council’s planning committee. You can find out more about the changes to the proposals via Guildford Borough Council’s planning portal (LPA ref. 25/P/00956).

We look forward to securing a positive approval for the planning application to ensure that the regeneration of North Street and associated public benefits can continue to be delivered.

From 10^th November 2025, a 24-hour road closure will commence until 12^th December to undertake work including the reconstruction of the taxi rank next to McDonald’s, an adjustment of the kerbline and repaving of the footpaths.

Throughout this period of work, supplementary traffic management will be in place next to Black Sheep Coffee to deter parking on the double yellow lines situated here, and in a section of parking bays opposite CEX on North Street to allow a safe turning circle for buses and HGVs.

From 10th November to 20th November, any traffic exiting Friary Passage can do so via the new road layout. During this time, access to Friary Passage will be restricted to deliveries, servicing and refuse. Access will be closed to food delivery drivers (including Deliveroo/Uber Eats style mopeds and cyclists). There will be no through route from Friary Passage to North Street or Phoenix Court for general traffic.

On 21st and 22nd November, the corner next to McDonald’s will be closed to all traffic; a diversion route will be in place including for deliveries to Friary Passage and Phoenix Court, accessed from the east of North Street. The full diversion route can be viewed on the bulletin.

We will undertake further direct consultation with businesses in this area, and intend on issuing a further update for works due to commence later in November.

As the regeneration of the North Street area continues to progress well, road closures to facilitate the ongoing Highway Improvement Works are as follows:

• On 4^th November to 21^st November, a section of the junction of Onslow Street and North Street, next to McDonald’s, will be closed to general vehicle traffic.
• From 24^th November until 13^th December, the next section of the road, east of McDonald’s and before the turning onto Commercial Road, will be closed to general vehicle traffic.

While it was initially expected that a road closure would only be necessary at night, 24-hour closure is now a necessity – during the periods outlined above – to ensure work can be completed safely and satisfactorily.

Footpaths will remain open for pedestrians throughout the works and will be clearly signposted, while traffic management systems will ensure clearly signposted diversions for vehicles. Access for deliveries to local businesses will be maintained and managed during the closures.

Highway improvement works will start on Monday 1^st September 2025 in Guildford town centre as the regeneration of the North Street neighbourhood continues.

The first phase of work will take place between the junctions of Onslow Street and Commercial Road, incorporating the corner where the taxi rank is currently located. This includes surface water draining works, replacement of existing road edges with new kerbs and paving, improved crossing locations and new carriageway surfacing and road marking.

Traffic, while slowed, will maintain access through the area during the day for the duration of the work.  Traffic management systems will be in place to ensure clearly signposted access for vehicles and safe, alternative routes for pedestrians. Some work will be undertaken at night to reduce the impact on traffic during the day; which will restrict access to the area during nighttime working hours. This will take place towards the end of Phase 1 and details of the timetable will be shared nearer the time. Deliveries to local businesses will be maintained via temporary traffic diversions at night.

The existing taxi rank adjacent to Onslow Street will be temporarily relocated during Phase 1 from 8^th September, with taxi ranks placed instead at the bottom of the High Street nearby and on Bedford Road, for a 13-week duration.

Phase 1 of the highways work is due to complete at the end of November 2025.

Information on the next phases of highway work will be available in the coming weeks.