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A town centre riverside development could ensure the future of The Wilky Group’s headquarters remains in Guildford.
Wilky has submitted a planning application for a 36,000 sq ft office building to replace its existing premises at Mary Road, Guildford. The proposed building, designed by noted architect Max Lyons of Lyons Sleeman Hoare, would bring about a significant improvement in the river frontage, Wilky believes.
A family owned local business, Wilky has occupied the Mary Road site since 1982. The existing office, retail and warehouse building was also the Group’s head office until 1989. Since then it has housed Wilky Bathroom Centres, the region’s largest specialist bathroom showroom.
If Guildford planners accept the proposal, Wilky would seek to relocate the bathroom centre to a new site in Guildford.
Currently Wilky’s head office team is split between two sites. Its finance department is in Farnborough and its property team occupies part of Parallel House Business Centre in London Road, Guildford. Its staff has increased recently, as a result of its development of the UK’s largest primary healthcare centre at Aldershot, and the launch of two new businesses, Wilky Fund Management, which administers property investments for pension funds and other institutions and Wilky Loan Management, which administers commercial mortgages for banks and other lenders.
Group Chief Executive, Malcolm Young, said: “this rapid expansion and the efficiency gain we can expect from having the management team on a single site has driven our desire to return home to Mary Road. It will also free up space at the business centre, which is much in demand.”
“Our Mary Road site is currently under-utilised. The new building will be a big improvement aesthetically and, although larger, will actually occupy a much smaller footprint than the old one, thanks to its excellent design.”
“The advice we have received suggests that offices are a more appropriate use for this site than retail and warehousing. Our plan will also reduce lorry traffic in the town centre.”
Wilky proposes a 3 storey building with office penthouse to replace the existing 60’s style premises.
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Picture captions: The existing bathroom centre in Mary Road and Wilky’s proposed office development, both viewed from across the river.
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