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Guildford Local Plan

The Local Plan sets out our vision for Guildford. We use it to: 

  • guide development in towns and villages
  • protect and enhance the environment 
  • develop the economy 
  • improve leisure and visitor facilities 
  • support sustainable travel 

We use policies from two Local Plans: 

  • Local Plan: Strategy and Sites 2015-2034
  • Local Plan: Development Management Policies

Some policies cover the whole borough and others only apply in specific areas. Policies which apply to specific areas are called spatial policies. Use the 'Local Plan' tab of our interactive map (opens new window) to see where spatial policies apply.

Local Plan: Strategy and Sites review

The Local Plan: Strategy and Sites was adopted in April 2019. Local Plans need to be reviewed at least every five years to consider whether they need to be updated. A review of the Local Plan was considered by Council at its meeting on 21 February 2024. A decision was made that it should be updated.

View the decision and the papers (opens new window)

Read our FAQs for more information 

Another report will be submitted to Executive at a later date. This is to agree the:

  • scope
  • budget and;
  • timetable

for the Local Plan update. We will update the timetable for our Local Plan webpage once this has been agreed. 

The Local Plan: Strategy and Sites 2015 - 2034 (part 1 of the Local Plan) was adopted in 2019. It contains:

  • strategic policies for development across the borough
  • allocated sites for development

View the Guildford Local Plan: Strategy and Sites (2015 - 2034)  (PDF, 17 MB)(opens new window)

Part of policy D2 of the Local Plan: Strategy and Sites has been updated by the Local Plan: Development Management Policies. See below for details.

Local Plan: Strategy and Sites (2019 - 2034) Errata (PDF, 134 KB)

Read documents from the Local Plan 2019 examination

Find out about challenges to the 2019 Local Plan

Local Plan: Development Management Policies

The Local Plan: Development Management Policies (part 2 of the Local Plan) was adopted on 22 March 2023.

The Local Plan: Development Management Policies contains detailed policies that supplement the policies in the Local Plan Part 1. It also updates parts of Policy D2 of the Local Plan: Strategy and Sites (as set out in Appendix D of the LPDMP and policy D2 of the LPSS).

View the Guildford Local Plan: Development Management Polices (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window)

Read about the examination of the Local Plan: Development Management Policies

Local Plan 2003

The Local Plan: Strategy and Sites replaced some of the saved 2003 policies. The adopted the Local Plan: Development Management Policies replaced most of the remaining Local Plan 2003 policies. Replaced policies are shown in crossed-out red text. See Appendix D of the Local Plan: Development Management Policies to see which policies have been replaced.

Guildford Local Plan 2003 (saved policies) (PDF, 3 MB)(opens new window)

We have prepared a note that sets out the weight to be given to these residual policies until such time that they no longer form part of the development plan.

Weight to be given to residual policies in the Local Plan 2003 (PDF, 64 KB)(opens new window)