Guildford’s proximity to the River Wey means that the town is always at risk of flooding when the wet weather arrives. Elsewhere on this site, you can read about plans put in place by the Environment Agency to limit the impact of this flooding, but there are also plans being put in place that will not only combat the flooding but also free up land for development.
Whilst it would be lovely to think that any reduction in flooding is being carried out for the good of local residents, the reality of the matter is that there is money to be made if the town’s long history of flooding can be put under some control to make the land more usable.
What the Environment Agency Is Looking to Do
The Environment Agency has announced new plans, which are likely to result in a number of changes to the banks of the River Wey. This is an attempt to reduce any future risk of flooding in a town that has a long history of exactly that. The government agency has released artist designs and impressions alongside Guildford Borough Council and Surrey County Council, which look to provide an insight into the scheme for locals and visitors to the area to get their heads around. Although reducing the risk of flooding is of paramount importance, it also has the added benefit of unlocking Guildford town centre’s regeneration potential.
One of the first aspects of the plans that has been revealed is the potential to build boardwalks that will run across the banks of the River Wey in the town centre, specifically around Millmead and the Portsmouth Road car park. The EA has also moved to release images showing the regeneration that would occur around Millmead Lock and the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, which would breathe new life into that part of the town. Given the fact that the areas around the banks of the River Wey have long been at risk of flooding, the idea of looking to alleviate that threat whilst also offering improvements to the area is appealing to many.
Previous Examples of Flooding
It would be lovely to pretend that Guildford isn’t really at serious risk of flooding, but history suggests that that is not true. You need to go back to 1968 to see one of the most serious and severe examples of the River Wey’s impact on Guildford. That was when the banks burst, resulting in much of the town centre being submerged under several feet of water. Not only that, but the flooding remained in place for the best part of a week, which led to many making comparisons between the town and Venice in Italy; a city famed for its canals. Persistent rainfall throughout September had led to the rivers swelling before bursting the banks.
Although the 1968 example was the pinnacle of flooding in Guildford, it is far from the only example. The winter of 2013 and 2014 resulted in some parts of the town being flooded, whilst the arrival of Storm Ciara and then Storm Dennis in 2020 saw the town centre become seriously flooded. The ground was already saturated when the storms hit, meaning that the River Wey burst its banks once again and left residents worried for their homes. Businesses were also impacted, with local workers choosing to put sandbags and other obstacles in place in order to try to limit the possible damage the flooding might cause.
In the Appraisal Stage
The idea of introducing a new flooding scheme for Guildford has been around for nearly two years, with the Environment Agency first looking to expand on an already existing scheme back in the April of 2024. Such was the wide-ranging nature of the plans at the time that one local councillor referred to them as being the ‘biggest opportunity’ to transform the way that housing worked in the county for a century. That is because those plans were looking to open up unusable land in the town centre in order to allow building work to be carried out there. It is essentially those plans that are being discussed now in the town.
The plans are part of the Guildford Flood Alleviation Scheme and are now in the appraisal stage. That means that the plans are being looked at, with the next step likely to involve the EA submitting a business case for the scheme. At that point, they will look to provide a justification for what is being proposed, which will almost certainly result in more details being released around the exact nature of what is being discussed. Prior to that, though, the Environment Agency is looking to host a pair of ‘information days’ in Guildford at some point this month, which will provide an opportunity for the public to take a look at the current plans.
Head to the 22 January 2026 Meeting
The Environment Agency Project Director for the Guildford Flood Alleviation Scheme, Jon Mansbridge, was asked to speak about the plans. He said,
We’re delighted to invite the community to our public information events, where we’ll unveil the latest artistic impressions of the Guildford Flood Alleviation Scheme. This once-in-a-generation project will not only reduce flood risk but also help unlock the potential for vibrant town centre regeneration.
That was an opinion backed up by Julia McShane, the Leader of Guildford Borough Council, who pointed to the impact that flooding can have on local people. McShane said,
Flooding can have a devastating impact on our homes, businesses and daily lives, and we want to do everything we can to reduce that risk. The Guildford Flood Alleviation Scheme is an important step towards protecting our town for the future. I’d love to see as many residents as possible come along, meet the team and find out more about the plans. Your views really matter. Together, we can make Guildford stronger and more resilient.
If you would like to make your opinion on the matter known, you can head to the meeting at the Guildford Borough Council offices on the 22nd of January between 3pm and 6pm.