The North Street Development is something that will hopefully be an exciting addition to the lives of those who live and work in Guildford. The problem is, the short-term issues being caused by the works are something that residents are having to cope with day-to-day.
A good example of that will be seen in the centre of the town this winter, with roads being closed for as long as a month as the Development’s next phase comes into being. The question that most people will want an answer to is which roads are being shut and when it’s happening, so that they can avoid them if possible.
Where the North Street Development Is Up To
Guildford’s North Street area is being developed by St Edward, which is part of the Berkeley Homes Group. The site is based over around four acres in the middle of the town, with North Street, Commercial Road and Leapdale Road joining the Guildford Bus Station as being the borders of the development. The long-term aim is to see nearly 500 new homes delivered, as well as some public space and a refurbishment of the bus station, alongside the planting of 115 new trees, a new medical centre and the area being pedestrianised to make it more accessible.
Most Guildford residents will be keen to know where it is up to, given the fact that it is causing such disruption to everyone’s lives. The good news is that things are generally on track, with Woodbridge Road having been closed and diversions put in place that will last until about the April of next year. At that point, Leapdale Road will be made two-way. The demolition that needed to take place is complete, making way for the new town square area, whilst diversions of utilities on North Street have also been done. Work has also started on the new junction of Onslow Street and North Street.
Why the Delays?
The redevelopment of the area has been meticulously planned, so many people might be wondering why it is that there are going to be delays in the coming weeks. The answer comes in the form of the fact that the development is moving on to its next phase, which requires the part of North Street next to McDonald’s having to close for general traffic. That is scheduled to take place between the fourth of November and the 21st of the month, then another section of the road will be closed to general traffic from the 24th of November through until the 13th of December.
That section will run from east of the McDonald’s before the turn onto Commercial Road. The initial plan was for these closures to be overnight only, but St Edwards have decided that they will need to close the roads for 24 hours in order to ensure that the work is carried out in as safe a manner as possible. Those that don’t tend to drive anyway will be pleased to know that the works will not stop pedestrians from being able to access the footpaths, which will be clearly signposted. The traffic diversions will be handled thanks to a clear traffic management system.
How the Diversions Will Work
Whilst vehicles will be accessing the area they are carrying out deliveries for local businesses, the rest of the traffic that would normally look to pass through the area will instead be diverted. We do have some idea of what those diversions are likely to look like, although we have to bear in mind that they can be changed for any number of reasons. The thought process is that the cars and other vehicles travelling in the area will be diverted across the river and towards Park Street. From there, they will turn up to the roundabout on Woodbridge Road, prior to heading down Leapdale Road.
Of course, the fact that these are the routes being used means that they will also be quite busy, so it is definitely worth planning ahead before you go that way. The initial part of the Highway Improvement Works got underway on the first of September, seeing surface water draining, the replacement of the existing road edges and the improvement of crossing locations all take place, alongside resurfacing the carriageway and putting road markings in place. This required the relocation of the taxi rank to the bottom of the High Street and Bedford Road.