Building of 180 homes to start on old Debenhams site

The development of a "long-vacant" former Debenhams site in Surrey is set to resume as a developer confirmed a deal was struck to raise extra funds.

Property developer Native Land said £132m of funding was needed to advance the 180-home development at its St Mary's Wharf site in Guildford.

Its main construction phase will begin "in the coming weeks", with demolition, major groundworks and environmental safeguards having already taken place, the developer said.

Chief executive Alasdair Nicholls said the "rare riverside development" would deliver "sustainable, high-quality homes".

The funding came from NatWest (£100m) and Homes England's National Housing Bank (£32m), the government's housing and regeneration agency, the developer said.

The development will include places to eat and shop, a riverside walk and new public gardens on the site vacated by Debenhams in May 2021.

Eirini Kalamara, director of the residential team at NatWest, said redeveloping brownfield sites like St Mary's Wharf played an important role in bringing new life to town centres.

Guildford Borough Council's planning councillors, who approved the plans in 2022 by six votes to five, heard about 200 letters of objection and 180 in support at the time, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The developers said it was expected to be completed before the end of 2028.

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