TOGETHER WITH
Good Morning Surrey,
On a Monday in Surrey, the week often announces itself in the car. A school bag on the back seat, a train time half-checked on the phone, and that small calculation about whether the late run up the A3 will still be simple by 9pm.
So this edition stays with the things that actually change plans. The Guildford scheme is moving, the overnight closures are real, and there are a few deadlines, consultations and openings worth catching before they turn into tomorrow’s admin.
In today’s edition
Guildford’s Park Road scheme now has planning approval for 248 homes.
Four nights of A3 Painshill disruption begin tonight, with diversions from 9pm.
Water bill support, private dentistry and school allergy guidance all have new national angles with local relevance.
Surrey’s council transition continues, with Effingham funding, the Merrow consultation and family support deadlines in the mix.
Theatre dates, markets, a reopened café, fresh jobs and three practical directory picks help shape the week ahead.
Let's Take a Look...
-- Prince Khurram.
News
Guildford Park Road scheme moves closer
Source: BBC
Guildford’s long-running Park Road redevelopment has moved into a clearer new phase. HLM says the 248-home town-centre scheme now has planning approval, with work expected to begin in summer 2026 and completion anticipated in late 2028.
The scheme is for 248 homes on the existing Guildford Park Road car park site.
HLM says planning permission has now been secured.
Construction is expected to begin in summer 2026.
Completion is anticipated in late 2028.
It is one to watch if town-centre parking and future housing supply are both already on your mind.
Click here: To read the latest scheme update and timeline.
Overnight A3 and Painshill closures begin tonight
Late-night journeys around the A3 and Painshill get less simple this week. National Highways says there will be four nights of northbound A3 lane closures between Ockham and Painshill, plus closure of the south bridge on Painshill roundabout, from Monday 9 to Thursday 12 March.
Northbound A3 lane closures run for four nights between Ockham and Painshill.
Painshill roundabout’s south bridge is also due to close on the same nights.
Closure times are 9pm to 6am, Monday 9 to Thursday 12 March.
Traffic from Sainsbury’s to Seven Hills is diverted via the southbound A3 to Junction 10, then back northbound to Painshill.
If you are heading back late, this is the week to check first and improvise later.
Message from HIRE5 Menswear Guildford
National headlines for Surrey
CMA opens a review of private dentistry
Image by Tung Lam
The CMA launched its private dentistry review on 5 March, saying the market was worth £8.4 billion in 2023 to 2024 and that 1 in 5 people in Great Britain used private dental care in 2024. Around Surrey, where getting a dentist can feel like a full extra task in the week, that is not abstract.
Click here: To read the scope and share your views.
WaterSure reform could widen bill support locally
DEFRA says WaterSure reform published on 6 March will expand eligibility to some disability-benefit households below a £25,745 income threshold, bringing in around 53,000 extra households and taking support to around 300,000 overall. That matters here because Thames Water customers in Surrey can already use the scheme.
School allergy guidance consultation is now open
The Department for Education says its consultation on stronger school support for pupils with medical conditions and allergies closes at 11:59pm on 1 May 2026. The plans would require spare adrenaline auto-injectors, staff training and an allergy policy, with the new guidance intended to come into force in September 2026.
Click here: To read the consultation and respond.
Properties of the Week
images by: rightmove.co.uk
Home A: Under £350k
Price: £200,000
Address: School Close / Guildford / GU1
Details: Flat / 620 sq ft / 1 bed
Parking Type: Off-street parking
Click here: To view the full house and plan your showing.
Home B: £350k-£650k
Price: £475,000
Address: Tarragon Drive / Guildford / GU2
Details: Semi-detached house / 3 beds / 1 bath
Parking Type: Driveway and garage
Click here: To view the full house and plan your showing.
Home C: Above £650k
Price: £850,000
Address: Queen Eleanors Road / Guildford / GU2
Details: Detached house / 4 beds / 4 baths
Parking Type: Driveway
Click here: To view the full house and plan your showing.
Community Digest
Effingham project gets the latest Your Fund Surrey green light
Source: effinghamkgv.co.uk
Your Fund Surrey has reached its final round of large-project approvals, and Effingham is in the mix. Surrey County Council says 74 large projects have now been funded overall, with £499,900 awarded to Effingham Village Recreation Trust for a free, accessible outdoor recreation space.
Merrow school amalgamation consultation is open
The Merrow consultation now sits where it belongs, in ordinary community life rather than emergency news. The consultation on amalgamating Merrow C of E Controlled Infant School and Merrow Junior School began on 2 March 2026 and closes on 27 April 2026.
Club4 Easter holiday camps
For families already eyeing the Easter calendar, Active Surrey’s Club4 scheme is back in its usual practical lane. Worth booking early, because holiday admin has a habit of arriving all at once.
Click here: To check eligibility and see how booking works.
Aspire community grants are open again
Guildford Borough Council says Aspire community grant applications are open now, with grants of £500 and up to £1,000 for charitable, social enterprise, community and voluntary organisations. A useful nudge for the groups that keep local life running without making much fuss about it.
Click here: To check eligibility and apply.
Better Homes resident group seeks interest this week
Guildford Borough Council is inviting Westborough and Park Barn residents to join a new engagement group for the Better Homes programme. Expressions of interest need to be in by Friday 13 March, which is close enough to count as this week.
Events
Theatre & Performances
Inspector Morse: House Of Ghosts | 10-14 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
Description: Runs from Tuesday to Saturday, with several performances already marked Limited or Selling Fast. Good if you want a proper theatre night without having to wait for the weekend to organise itself.
Our Little Hour | 13-14 March (Info/Tickets)
Location: Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
Description: Friday at 7:45pm, then Saturday at 2:45pm and 7:45pm. A smaller-scale studio option if you fancy something quieter than the average Friday plan.
Markets
North Street Market | Every Friday and Saturday
Location: North Street, Guildford
Description: Guildford’s long-running market still does what a market should do, fruit, veg, meat, fish, flowers and the sort of “just having a look” that ends with two extra bags. Opening hours are 9am to 4:30pm every Friday and Saturday.
Mini Mother’s Day Market | Saturday 14 March
Location: Coal Yard Creatives, Hambledon
Description: A one-day market for gifts and small local finds, which may save a few last-minute panics later in the week.
Click here: To check the date and venue details.
Eat & Drink
Restaurant of the Week | Golden Fords Café
Location: Chantry Woods, Guildford
Golden Fords has just reopened after a short closure, which makes it timely and useful if you are ready for a coffee stop that feels a little less urban than the usual town-centre circuit. The current hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm, with Monday and Tuesday closed.
It suits the sort of week when you want a walk, a coffee and half an hour of pretending you are extremely calm and organised. The setting does some of the work for you there. Less good if you need somewhere open early in the week, but very decent for a midweek reset once the doors are back open and Surrey remembers how to sit outside again.
The Ivy Castle View
Location: Tunsgate Quarter, Guildford
Description: The Mother’s Day set menu is running on 14 and 15 March from 11:30 to close. One for the planners, or for anyone trying to look impressively on top of things in the family group chat.
Click here: To see details and sample menus.
Local Jobs
Innovation Support Officer - University of Surrey
Location: Guildford
Description: Part-time role with Innovate Surrey, paying £16,040 to £17,305 pro rata, with applications closing at 23:59 on Tuesday 10 March 2026. A tidy fit for someone who likes keeping operations, people and paperwork all moving in the same direction.
School Administrator - University of Surrey
Location: Guildford
Description: Full-time role in the Medicine department, salary £28,031 to £31,236, closing at 23:59 on Sunday 15 March, with interviews due on Monday 23 March. Hybrid working becomes negotiable after the initial office-based period.
Senior Support Worker - Surrey County Council
Location: Guildford
Description: Full-time permanent role at Mallow Crescent, paying £30,647 to £32,867, with a closing date of 15 March 2026. The work focuses on supported living for adults with learning disabilities and is very much a people-first role.
Temporary Staffing Compliance Officer - NHS Jobs
Location: Guildford
Description: Full-time post paying £28,860 to £31,671, posted on 6 March and closing on 22 March 2026. A strong option for someone who likes systems, audits and making sure required checks are actually in place rather than merely hoped for.
Directory
Elem Hair
Location: Tunsgate Quarter, Guildford
Description: New salon with online booking live and 25% off a first booking. Useful if your current hair strategy has become mostly wishful thinking and a hurried mirror check.
Click here: To see contact details and request a booking.
Swift Stitch
Location: Guildford
Description: Tailoring and dry cleaning with same-day work and a one-hour rush service for genuine clothing emergencies. Handy before interviews, weddings or those dinners that turned out to be smarter than advertised.
Click here: To see contact details and request a quote.
iSmash
Location: Guildford
Description: Town-centre device repairs with most repairs done the same day, average smartphone repair around 30 minutes and a lifetime warranty on smartphone and tablet repairs. Good when a cracked screen was not in this month’s financial planning.
Click here: To see contact details and book a repair.
And Finally
Surrey spent the weekend in that familiar early-spring negotiation, coats carried rather than worn, tables outside, everyone pretending this time it might stick. Golden Fords reopening fits that mood rather well. If you spot a useful local change, or we miss one, reply and tell us.
Thank you for reading. let’s chat on Wednesday.
