Guildford celebrates progress on the Weyside Urban Village

The Weyside Urban Village regeneration scheme has reached a major milestone with the ceremonial handover of its new depot by main contractor McLaren Construction.

Councillors, senior officers and project staff toured the completed building before speeches were held to mark the occasion.

The new Weyside Depot is a modern, energy-efficient facility designed to bring multiple council services together in one place. It includes a three-storey operational hub with offices, training rooms, meeting spaces and welfare facilities, plus a fully equipped vehicle workshop. The site also features a multi-storey car park with electric vehicle charging and specialist storage buildings.

Council leaders praised the project as a key part of the wider regeneration plan. Cllr Vanessa King said the vision was always to create new homes supported by the right infrastructure, and that the depot helps unlock the next phase of development. Cllr Angela Goodwin highlighted the investment in staff, services and sustainability, saying the building will reduce energy use, water consumption, maintenance costs and carbon emissions.

McLaren Construction’s divisional director, Patrick Murphy, said the depot reflects strong collaboration between the council, the project team and supply chain partners, and will provide a sustainable base for essential public services.

The Council will now fit out the building, with the depot expected to become fully operational later this year. Once services relocate, the site will support further phases of the Weyside Urban Village scheme.

The wider project aims to deliver about 1,500 homes on brownfield land while protecting the surrounding Green Belt. It also includes major infrastructure improvements such as a new sewage treatment plant, the new council depot and a local centre with retail, healthcare and community facilities.