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 to see where spatial policies apply.
Local Plan: Strategy and Sites
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) [11MB] (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.
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) has been found sound at examination. It is subject to a number of main modifications. The Council will consider whether to adopt the plan as modified at its meeting on 22 March 2023. In the meantime, the plan helps to decide planning applications.
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 - see Appendix D for details.
A final version of the Local Plan: Development Management Policies will be published after adoption. Until then you can view:
- the version of the plan submitted to the Inspector (PDF) [2MB] (opens new window)
- the schedule of main modifications to the plan (PDF) [364KB] (opens new window)
- the schedule of minor (additional) modifications to the plan (PDF) [630KB] (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. Replaced policies are shown in crossed-out red text. When we adopt the Local Plan: Development Management Policies it will replace most of the remaining Local Plan 2003 policies. See Appendix D of the Local Plan: Development Management Policies to see which policies will be replaced.
Guildford Local Plan 2003 (saved policies) (PDF) [2MB] (opens new window)
Local Plan review
We have decided not to undertake an early review of the Local Plan Strategy and Sites 2015 to 2034. This was decided at a council meeting on Tuesday 5 April 2022. Find out more about the decision and reasons.