The St Mary’s Wharf site in Summer 2026 © John F Hunt Ltd. & Native Land
Native Land and Bennett Construction have begun work on the principal construction phase of St Mary’s Wharf in Guildford.
As Main Contractor, Bennett Construction brings significant residential and mixed-use delivery experience to the 200,000 sq ft, 180-home development on the bank of the River Wey in Guildford town centre. Bennetts took control of the 1.7-acre site in mid-October, to begin preparations for the main phase of construction work beginning in the coming weeks.
The first work on site will commence during the week of 9 November 2026 and will involve extending the site hoarding out along Millbrook Road. This will require the closure of the footpath on one side of the road. Existing pedestrian crossings at either end of the planned closure will allow pedestrians to safely travel along the other side of Millbrook Road until the footpath is reopened.
Since securing planning consent in 2022, Native Land has substantially invested in the St Mary’s Wharf site: completing demolition, basement and ground floor infrastructure, and flood protection works. When complete, the development will bring the most significant brownfield site in Guildford back into active use, restoring public access to the River Wey and supporting the town-centre economy.
The development has been financed by a £100 million senior debt facility from NatWest and £32 million of mezzanine finance from the National Housing Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Homes England. By combining government-backed capital with committed private finance, the funding will accelerate housing delivery across tenures, unlock private investment and support sustainable, inclusive, place-based regeneration at this strategically important town-centre site.