Welcome to the latest update on the Weyside Urban Village regeneration project provided by Guildford Borough Council.

Burpham Court Farm Nature Reserve

We recently shared the news that we’d contracted Blakedown Landscapes to transform a former stretch of inaccessible farmland at Burpham Court Farm into a new nature
reserve for Guildford.

Work is now well underway on the 56-acre site (equivalent approximately 32 football pitches), where riverside green space is being converted into a haven for people and wildlife. Thanks to favourable weather conditions, progress is going well.

Progress

• A new footpath has been fully laid around the northern section of the site, forming part of the future visitor trail.
• Earth bunds (raised soil banks) have been constructed to help shape the landscape and enhance flood resilience.
• Work has begun near Clay Lane, including the layout of the boardwalk area, with care taken to preserve existing oak and heathland vegetation.
• Construction of a new car park for future visitors is underway.

What comes next

During the summer months work to the car park will continue and we may need to introduce some traffic management measures on Clay Lane when work starts on the pedestrian crossing. More information about the measures will be on the website in due course.

In the autumn we will start on putting a new pedestrian bridge across the River Wey and making adaptations to an existing agricultural bridge. Signage and lighting will also be installed.

What you can look forward to?

Once the work is complete, the site will feature:

• a 3.6km circular walking trail
• 922 metres of boardwalk
• enhanced wetland pools for winter wading birds
• new wildflower meadows
• restored hedgerows
• picnic areas, seating, and signage.

The project is on schedule for finishing at the end of 2025. To allow the newly restored habitats and planting to become established the new nature reserve will open to
the public early in 2026.

Work is now well underway on the 56-acre site (equivalent approximately 32 football pitches), where riverside green space is being converted into a haven for people and wildlife.