Representing one of the world's largest independent conservation organisations, WWF, we have acquired a 1.6 acre site in Woking for its new UK headquarters.

A 999 year lease on the Brewery Road car park site has been granted by Woking Borough Council, and WWF-UK is now able to commence works on The Living Planet Centre. Works on the charity’s new 39,557 sq ft HQ are expected to be complete in mid 2013.

In an innovative transaction structure, the existing public car park will be recreated below the office building and handed back to Woking Borough Council on completion of the scheme.

Five year project to plan for move

We have been working with the charity for five years to plan for its move from its current HQ in Godalming, Surrey.

Paul Dowson, Head of our Guildford office, commented: “This development is a significant vote of confidence for Woking, securing a high profile occupier in WWF-UK. Sustainability and the ‘green agenda’ inevitably played a large role in the selection and development process, and the charity will be striving for the highest environmental standards and accreditations throughout every stage of the build.”

Highest sustainability standards

The design of the Living Planet Centre by Hopkins Architects is for a building that is sympathetic to its natural surroundings, while meeting the highest sustainability standards.

The environmentally intelligent building will not only provide a new, purpose-built headquarters for WWF-UK but, for the first time, the organisation will be able to showcase its global work through the building itself, with state-of-the-art sustainable building technologies, including a specifically designed area to create the ‘WWF Experience’.

This new public area, together with an education suite and a 150 seat auditorium, will enable visitors - from school groups to local residents, MPs to business leaders – to explore and understand WWF-UK’s environmental work.