The latest update for progress at Brightwells Yard can be found on our ‘News’ page.

When complete, Brightwells Yard will provide a new multi-storey car park and 396 new car parking spaces, with 223 set aside for residents and 173 for visitors. There will also be a total of 18 new electric charging points within the public car park area and 48 for residents.

In the meantime, Waverley Borough Council has provided extended parking at Riverside 2 and 3 (Mike Hawthorn Way, GU9 7UQ) and South Street car park has also benefited from five new disabled parking spaces, and has also been recently upgraded by Waverley Borough Council. 

For full and current information on the car parks in Farnham, visit: www.waverley.gov.uk

The Brightwells Yard development aims to improve traffic flows at the busy Royal Deer Junction by part-pedestrianisation of East Street and a new two-way traffic system behind The Woolmead. New footways will seamlessly link Brightwells Yard with the rest of the town centre, from East Street right down to the River Wey. These changes have been agreed with the local highways authority, Surrey County Council.

A temporary bridge has been built to allow construction traffic for the development to enter the site directly from the A31, without travelling through Farnham town centre. The bridge continues to reduce disruption from approximately 40 construction vehicles a day, preventing any extra increase to traffic in the town centre.

Currently, we have confirmed that Reel Cinemas will be at Brightwells Yard and we have plenty more exciting retailers to be announced soon.

A Section 106 is a legal agreement between the developer and the planning authority (Waverley Borough Council) which sets out contributions required by the developer and aims to mitigate the impact of a new development on the existing community. Crest Nicholson has contributed in excess of £3 million towards infrastructure and community assets through this agreement, including:

• £100,000 towards traffic reduction in the town centre
• £275,000 for the County Council’s park and stride scheme
• £47,000 for travel vouchers or cycle provision
• £64,000 for the provision of CCTV Security
• £100,000 for the provision of new public art
• £322,000 towards new sport and leisure experiences
• £751,000 to fund the delivery of education in Farnham
• £35,000 to support the future of library provision in Farnham
• £474,000 to enhance the green space and open up the natural environment
• £800,000 towards the refurbished Memorial Hall and restoration of the Grade II listed Brightwell House

The whole development is on course to be completed by the end of 2023, and the new residents in the first residential blocks have already moved in, occupying their new homes in April 2022.

Businesses across Farnham town centre – including those in Cambridge Place, East Street and the leisure centre – have remained open throughout the construction of Brightwells Yard and the development has not adversely affected businesses in close proximity to the site.

When complete, we anticipate that Brightwells Yard will bring more people into the town centre, with new businesses coming to the town, complementing the current retail and leisure offer to improve the overall offer of Farnham.

Brightwells Yard is being developed by Crest Nicholson and is separate to the nearby Woolmead development, which is led by Berkeley Homes – with the two sites separated by East Street.

If you would like to access the relevant planning applications for either scheme, please visit www.waverley.gov.uk

72 shared ownership homes will be built at Brightwells Yard, providing a total of 30% affordable housing delivered by Crest Nicholson for Thames Valley Housing Association. Visit the SoResi website here for more information.