Demolition of Guildford’s Iconic High Street Building to Start Soon
The long-awaited demolition of the former Debenhams in Guildford is set to begin, paving the way for new housing and retail developments.
Guildford, Debenhams, Housing Development, Riverside Homes, Native Land
Guildford: The old Debenhams building in Guildford is finally coming down! It’s been a fixture on the high street since the 1960s, but now it’s time for a change. The demolition is set to kick off in February, and people are buzzing about what’s next.
Developers, Native Land, are planning to replace it with a new riverside housing and retail project. They’re looking at building 185 homes and over 20,000 square feet of shops and restaurants. Sounds exciting, right?
They’ve already started prepping the site. The building is getting scaffolded and wrapped up, and the actual demolition will wrap up by the end of August 2025. It’s all part of a bigger plan that was approved last year.
Once it’s all done, there will be new public walkways and gardens along the River Wey, making it easier for folks to stroll to the high street. Plus, there’s even talk of a cinema being part of the new development!
Construction has been moving along since April 2024, with the old building being stripped down inside. Native Land has been keeping everyone updated, saying they’re working hard to get everything ready for the big demo.
Even though the Debenhams has been empty since 2021, it was still nominated for Guildford Building of the Year in 2023. That’s some serious history!
People are hopeful that the new St Mary’s Wharf will wow the judges just as much. And with a mix of one to three-bedroom homes, including some affordable options, it’s bound to attract a lot of interest.
Being so close to the train station is a big plus too, making it easy for residents to hop on a train to London. Native Land is expecting a lot of demand from buyers.
However, not everyone is on board. When the plans were first announced, there were mixed feelings in the community, with nearly as many objections as there were supporters. But despite the pushback, the project is moving forward, and soon, the old Debenhams will be just a memory.