New Council Depot

WEYSIDE URBAN VILLAGE

Enhancing Guildford's Community

About the new council depot

The new depot is being built on previously developed land to the east of the Slyfield Industrial Estate. It will bring together several council teams in one place, helping services run more efficiently. Teams based at the depot will include those who empty bins, clean streets, and look after parks and green spaces. Housing services and some office-based staff will also be located here.

The site will include three main buildings:

• Depot building: a three-storey hub for operational teams, featuring offices, training rooms, meeting spaces, and welfare facilities. It will provide storage facilities, including a secure museum store. A fully equipped vehicle workshop will accommodate heavy goods vehicles.
• Multi-storey car park: located to the north of the site, the car park will be used for service vehicles, staff and visitors. It will include electric vehicle (EV) charging points and infrastructure for future EV expansion.
• Storage building: dedicated secure storage for grit and salt to support winter operations, alongside general storage and specialist equipment rooms are being provided.

Planning history

Planning permission for the depot was first granted in March 2023. An updated application was submitted in 2024 to reflect some design and layout changes. This was approved in June 2024.

Build

Construction of the new depot is being undertaken by McLaren Construction (Southern) Limited.

A cleaner future

The new depot will contribute to the council's long-term strategy to become a net zero borough by 2030. It has been designed using a 'fabric first' approach which maximises the buildings' performance to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and reduce ongoing maintenance costs.

Progress

Construction is progressing well and remains on track for completion in July 2026. There will then be a phased move-in as different teams relocate to the new depot. This approach will help ensure services continue to run smoothly during the transition.

The main structure of the buildings is now complete, and work is continuing inside. External works are also underway, such as landscaping, road layouts, and parking areas.

In the coming months, work will focus on:

• Completing internal spaces so they are ready for staff
• Finishing the vehicle workshop and storage areas
• Installing equipment and setting up workspaces
• Completing the car park, including EV charging points
• Finalising landscaping and outdoor areas