McLaren Construction has been awarded a £38.4 million contract to build a new operational and administrative depot for Guildford Borough Council.

The development, part of the mixed-use Weyside Urban Village scheme, will see three new buildings delivered, providing a centralised location for waste collection, fleet maintenance, MOT testing, housing repairs, parks and countryside services, engineering services and the town’s museum archive.

It has been designed using a ‘fabric first’ approach, aimed at maximising the performance of the buildings to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and reduce ongoing maintenance costs.

David Gavin, managing director for industrial and logistics at McLaren Construction, said: “At a time of limited budgets, the new depot delivers comfortable and attractive working environments for a wide range of council functions while also achieving great value for money. It should have a long and useful life for the council, adapting easily as the range of services and technologies change.”

Tom Hunt, deputy leader of Guildford Borough Council and lead councillor for regeneration, said: “Relocating the current depot will release valuable land for the development of much-needed new housing in our borough.

“Over the past six months, we’ve worked closely with McLaren Construction during a robust and thorough design process. This means we’re well-prepared before the construction of this important project begins.

“The new facility has been designed with input from the staff who will be based there, and a focus on sustainability and improving operational efficiency. The buildings will use less energy, less water and significantly reduce our carbon emissions.

“The inclusion of electric charging bays for vehicles will also support a transition to a greener fleet. I’m delighted that construction can now begin.”

McLaren’s team of subcontractors includes ICS, Bauder, SCWS, C&M Fabrications, Halsall, Stark and Schindler.

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