Archives: Projects

Time-lapse videos have been created to show Woking’s new low-carbon energy centre on Poole Road coming out of the ground.

January to February 2020

February to March 2020

ThamesWey, together with construction partner Galliford Try, broke ground on the £20m combined heat and power energy centre in Poole Road in January 2020.

Construction of the foundations started with putting 149 concrete piles into the ground. Once the 20m deep concrete piles were in place, the main concrete foundations started to be dug out up to the ground floor slab level.

With the foundations in place, the two-storey energy centre, with one floor of office above, could start to take shape.

The whole development is anticipated to take 14 months to complete and is part of the vital infrastructure enabling Woking to grow sustainably.

Once complete, the first customers to receive the generated low-carbon heat and power will be the new Hilton hotel, shops and over 400 apartments which form the new Victoria Square development.

With the capacity to supply other future developments in Woking town centre, the new energy centre has been designed to generate enough heat and power to supply the equivalent of over 2,500 homes for the next 50 years. Despite its practical purpose, the building has been designed to provide a distinctive feature visible from the main railway line, with its large, orange thermal stores forming a striking new landmark as well as providing an efficient way of storing heat to supply customers at times of peak demand.

With Woking’s 2030 carbon neutral future in mind, the energy centre has been designed to incorporate green energy technologies to further reduce Woking town centre’s dependence on fossil fuels and is a vital part of the new infrastructure enabling Woking to grow sustainably.

Harrington Place is a landmark residential development, delivered by ThamesWey as part of the wider regeneration of Woking town centre. The scheme, ThamesWey’s first town centre residential development, has provided new, high-quality homes to a key location, supporting the town’s growth – close to shops, leisure facilities and transport links.

The development contributes to a more vibrant and sustainable town centre, offering residents contemporary, comfortable homes in a central setting, with the benefit of efficient, lower-carbon energy supplied through ThamesWey’s local energy network.

The contractor, Galliford Try, completed construction in February 2020 and the site was handed over to ThamesWey with the new properties released straight onto the market for rent.

Harrington Place demonstrates ThamesWey’s capability to deliver high-quality town-centre developments that enhance the local area, and support long-term regeneration.

Lockwood Path is ThamesWey’s third scheme of family-sized affordable homes for Woking Borough Council. The development, comprising four new homes, contributes to the continued growth of high-quality, affordable housing in the borough.

ThamesWey worked with Endeavour Construction on this project, which incorporates eight swift bricks in support of the Swifts in Woking project.

ThamesWey’s redevelopment and refurbishment project at Middle Walk delivered:

• An additional storey of residential accommodation, providing seven new studio flats above the east wing of Middle Walk
• Refurbishment of existing homes to improve energy efficiency and thermal comfort
• Conversion of one existing three‑bed maisonette into a one‑bed flat to create space for plant equipment connecting the building to the Woking town centre district heat network and supporting the irrigation system for the green roof
• Landscape enhancements including planting across the roofs of the east and west wings, new and existing balconies, and the rear wall of the building

This was ThamesWey’s first development to incorporate both living walls and a green roof. The east wing features a lightweight extensive green roof with wildflowers and meadow grasses, while the west wing hosts a semi‑intensive green roof designed to enhance biodiversity through native planting.

The completed scheme improved the quality, efficiency and environmental performance of the homes at Middle Walk, contributing to a greener and more resilient town‑centre environment.

ThamesWey completed two family‑sized affordable homes at Eden Grove in West Byfleet, incorporating 12 swift bricks as part of the borough‑wide Swifts in Woking initiative. The homes were handed over to Woking Borough Council and form part of the Council’s Housing Revenue Account programme.

Developed with Endeavour Construction, the two three‑bedroom semi‑detached properties were built using a fabric‑first approach, delivering high levels of insulation to improve comfort and reduce running costs for future tenants. This scheme represented the second set of homes ThamesWey delivered on behalf of the Council, supporting the ongoing provision of high‑quality, affordable housing in the borough.

The integration of swift bricks under the eaves marked ThamesWey’s first development to include this feature, reflecting our commitment to enhancing local biodiversity. Situated close to the River Wey, the homes provide an ideal environment for swifts, contributing to wider conservation efforts across the area.

Eden Grove demonstrates ThamesWey’s ability to deliver well‑designed, energy‑efficient affordable homes while incorporating environmental enhancements that support long‑term sustainability and community value.

ThamesWey delivered five new affordable family homes at Yew Tree Close, at the time (2019) it marked the first new Council homes of this type to be completed in the borough in recent years. The homes were handed over to Woking Borough Council as part of its Housing Revenue Account programme.

Developed with Endeavour Construction and Wienerberger, the scheme followed the Wienerberger e4 strategy, ensuring the homes were not only affordable to rent but also cost‑effective to run. Built using a fabric‑first approach, the properties achieve exceptionally high levels of insulation, helping to reduce energy use and lower household bills for tenants.

The Wienerberger e4 brick house design minimises environmental impact and meeting Level 4 of the former Code for Sustainable Homes, without the need for renewable technologies. The resulting homes are energy‑efficient, lower‑carbon and designed to support long‑term affordability.

Yew Tree Close was the first in a series of small residential projects delivered by ThamesWey on behalf of the Council, demonstrating our capability to provide high‑quality, sustainable homes that meet local needs and contribute to the borough’s wider housing strategy.

Canalside is a major regeneration programme that has transformed the Sheerwater area of Woking into a modern, sustainable neighbourhood with new homes, community facilities and high‑quality public spaces.

The multi‑phase scheme has delivered nearly 1,200 energy‑efficient homes – around half of which are affordable – arranged around landscaped parkland and pedestrian‑friendly streets.

A new leisure complex at Bishop David Brown School is a key part of the development, offering a 25‑metre pool, teaching pool, sports hall, studios, gym and high‑quality outdoor sports facilities. Low‑carbon technologies, including heat pumps and solar panels, support the complex and contribute to the scheme’s wider environmental goals.

Alongside new homes, Canalside includes a community centre, pre‑school nursery, health facilities, shops and restaurants, creating a well‑connected and vibrant local hub.

The project demonstrates ThamesWey’s capability to deliver large‑scale regeneration that balances housing need with environmental responsibility and long‑term community value.

After 13 years of lying unused, ThamesWey has started work to bring this former office building back into use.

Lying at the edge of Woking town centre, 121 Chertsey Road will be transformed from disused office space into 25 new apartments. The development is being delivered in partnership with Management and Construction Services Ltd.

The building will be connected to ThamesWey’s Woking town centre District Heat Network to reduce the buildings carbon footprint and thereby improve the environmental performance.

The new year has seen the completion of the ground and first floors.

More information will be available as the development progresses.