Relocating Guildford sewage treatment works

June 2022 update

In December 2021 we submitted a planning application to Surrey County Council for the relocation of Guildford sewage treatment works (STW).

Surrey County Council is now holding a period of public consultation on the application. This follows our submission of further information to address comments from consultees. You can view the submitted information and comments on Surrey County Council’s website. Any comments must be submitted to Surrey County Council by Wednesday 6 July. We can't accept comments on the application documents.

Information about the development is provided on this page and you can also download the submitted planning application and further information.

Whilst the planning application is reviewed over the coming months, our contractor, BAM-Doosan, will be visible on-site to carry out surveys and investigations. The results of these investigations will help to improve the construction design of the project in advance of a decision on the application.

We’ll be in touch with local people directly if any of the survey works are expected to cause any noise or dust. Sign up to our mailing list for updates on activities on site and the planning application.

Why we’re moving Guildford STW

Guildford STW is currently located on land allocated as part of the Slyfield Area Regeneration Project (SARP) allocated in Guildford Borough Local Plan, which will include the new Weyside Urban Village. We’ve agreed to relocate our STW so this plan can be developed.

The mixed-use regeneration project will include thousands of new homes, new community facilities and 6,500m² of commercial space to improve the local area. A planning application submitted by Guildford Borough Council for the housing development – Weyside Urban Village – was recommended for approval in October 2021. Further applications for other aspects of the regeneration project will be submitted over the coming months.

We’re planning to move our STW to a location that can’t be used for housing because of its previous use as a landfill site. The land is allocated for the development of the new STW in both the Surrey County Council Waste Local Plan (2020) and Guildford Borough Council Local Plan (2019).

Guildford Borough Council is funding the relocation project, and we’re working closely together to ensure a smooth overlap on both our projects.

How we’ll build our new STW

Our relocation project has three key elements:

• A new STW located to the north-east of the existing Slyfield Industrial Estate in Guildford to replace the existing Guildford STW
• New effluent and stormwater outfall pipes to the River Wey, to the northeast of the new STW
• A new gravity transfer tunnel, running from the existing inlet pumping station to the new STW, to transfer incoming wastewater from existing sewers to the new STW

Timeline

1. Planning application submitted December 2021
2. Surrey County Council will then carry out a public consultation on the application
3. If approved, construction will start in autumn 2022
4. Construction complete 2025
5. Commission complete 2026
6. Existing STW decommissioned and starts being developed 2026

Key aspects of the planning application

• We’re proposing a replacement of the current site with capacity for treatment of wastewater from a population of at least 120,000
• The site will have space for future expansion in line with modelled growth and the impact of climate change
• Investigations have been undertaken and the planning application documents outline the findings and include remediation strategies and/or mitigations where appropriate
• Our proposal will result in 10% net gain in biodiversity value
• We’re minimising the long term visual impacts of the site by improving and supplementing the tree’s which screen the site from the north
• We’re using the latest odour control methods to minimise any potential impacts on our neighbours
• Our new discharge location will not impact the flooding potential in the River Wey and we’re providing increased storm capacity
• Our work will not impact the nearby allotments and mitigation will be in place to reduce the impact of noise or light during construction
• There will be no increase in traffic once the site is operational and construction traffic will avoid peak hours where possible

You can see the planning application documents on this page or on the Council’s website.

• If you’re specifically interested in our engagement then go to the Statement of Community Involvement
• If you’re interested in the design then look at the planning application drawings
• If you’re specifically interested in the environmental assessment and investigations, then go to the Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement
• If you’re interested in how the development accords with planning policy then go to the Planning Statement

Our commitment to health and safety

The health and safety of our people and our customers is of the highest importance to us. All the work during construction and once the site’s completed and operational will be carried out in line with our zero harm, zero compromise policy. This means all employees have the support of our CEO to question and stop any work they believe isn’t being done safely.