Nearly 250 homes planned for town car park site

The council said 40% of the planned 248 new homes would be affordable housing

Nearly 250 new homes are planned to be built on a car park site in Guildford under a deal struck by the council.

Guildford Borough Council has announced a new partnership with development firm the Wates Group, to develop the site in Guildford Park Road.

The authority said it had made a commitment that 40% of the planned 248 new homes would be affordable housing.

Council leader Julia McShane, lead councillor for housing, said the authority was committing up to £39.7m from the housing revenue account to buy the affordable homes.

"This new neighbourhood will include a mix of new council homes for rent and affordable homes to buy," she said.

"Our focus is to create a high quality, sustainable development where people are proud to live."

The council said consultation is still to take place before designs for the £86m scheme are finalised and planning permission is sought.

It said the proposals included 98 new affordable rent and shared ownership homes, and the affordable housing would be added to the 5,000 council homes the authority already owns and manages.