Construction of Guildford Borough Council’s new depot is set to begin following the appointment of McLaren Construction (Southern) Limited as the main contractor.

The new facility will allow the council to co-locate services into a single, purpose-built location and improve service efficiency. Once completed, it will be home to several council departments and services, including the teams that empty the bins, clean the streets, and manage parks and green spaces. Housing services and some administration teams will also be based there. 

The site will feature new modern office space, an MOT Testing Centre, engineering workshops and storage for the museum. The depot will also be equipped with green technologies, such as EV charging bays, that will accelerate our ongoing drive to become a more sustainable borough.

Deputy Leader and Lead Councillor for Regeneration, Cllr Tom Hunt says: “Relocating the current depot will release valuable land for the development of much-needed new housing in our borough. 

"Over the past six months, we’ve worked closely with McLaren Construction during a robust and thorough design process. This means we’re well-prepared before the construction of this important project begins.

“The new facility has been designed with input from the staff who will be based there, and a focus on sustainability and improving operational efficiency. The buildings will use less energy, less water and significantly reduce our carbon emissions. The inclusion of electric charging bays for vehicles will also support a transition to a greener fleet. 

“I’m delighted that construction can now begin.”

McLaren Construction has a strong track record in major building projects and a commitment to best practices for sustainable construction.

The managing director for industrial and logistics at McLaren Construction, David Gavin, comments: “At a time of limited budgets, the new depot delivers comfortable and attractive working environments for a wide range of council functions while also achieving great value for money. It should have a long and useful life for the council, adapting easily as the range of services and technologies change.”

Construction of the new depot is expected to complete in summer 2026. 

Once the new depot becomes operational, the current depot site will be redeveloped as part of the Weyside Urban Village regeneration scheme. This project aims to deliver 1,550 high-quality new homes to help meet the borough’s housing needs. It is part of a programme for housing-led regeneration of sites that the council owns. The scheme will also include new health facilities, community, employment and green spaces, as well as major improvements to existing infrastructure.