Leading architects and masterplanners Allies and Morrison are set to develop a vision for Guildford town centre following their appointment by the Council. The team will work with the Council and local people to help create a framework to shape the town over the next 20 years.
The architects have worked on some of the biggest projects globally and are famed for nearby works in England such as the New Court Rothschild Bank in the City of London, the Royal Festival Hall
London, the Royal Observatory, Greenwich and the Masterplan for London 2012 in Stratford.
Cllr Stephen Mansbridge, Leader of the Council, says: “This is an exciting step forward for our town centre. The vision will provide an overarching direction and will help us understand the future development of central Guildford. It will consider the key issues, infrastructure needs and challenges we face. We have listened carefully to local residents and will continue to engage with them throughout this process.”
The visioning work will identify areas for transformation, look to integrate new developments with their surroundings and build upon the existing strengths of the town. It will consider key issues including traffic and transport, the quality of public spaces and the built environment, making better use of town centre land and enhancing our local heritage.
Lead Councillor for Planning and Governance, Cllr Monika Juneja, adds: “Guildford is a vibrant, attractive and distinctive place and we want to make the most of its unique characteristics. The vision document will help bring together our ambition for the future of Guildford, including making the most of the River Wey. We will talk to local people, businesses and stakeholders to help develop this document and secure the future of our town centre.”
Bob Allies, Partner of Allies and Morrison, comments: “We are looking forward very much to working alongside the Council, key stakeholders in the town centre and the local community to prepare a vision for Guildford town centre which protects the town’s unique assets – its structure of lanes and alleys, its historic buildings and the River Wey but also delivers improvements where they are most needed”.
Image sourced from: http://tinyurl.com/3jam3by
