A town shaped by the railway
Woking's rapid growth traces back to a railway connection reaching the area in 1838, after which houses and shops spread out around the new station in a way that was unusual for what had previously been a scattered rural parish.
An unusual Victorian neighbour
A large Victorian cemetery scheme was laid out near the town in the 1850s, bringing a private railway of its own and drawing further development toward Woking as the wider area filled in around the new line.
Its own council, due to change
Woking Borough Council, a wholly separate authority from Waverley, is responsible for planning decisions in the town, though it is due to be abolished in 2027 as part of a wider reorganisation of local government across Surrey.
Frequently asked questions
Is Woking the furthest place this site covers?+
Yes, at close to ten miles from Godalming, Woking sits at the outer edge of the area this site reaches.
Which council covers Woking?+
Woking Borough Council, a separate authority from the one covering Godalming, although it is scheduled to be abolished in 2027 under Surrey's wider local government changes.
Nearby areas
Services
Useful local links
- Waverley Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Godalming and most of the surrounding villages.
- Guildford Borough Council – Do I need planning permission? — The planning authority covering Guildford and the villages to its west and south, a different borough from Waverley.
- GOV.UK – Planning permission: when you need it — Government guidance on when planning permission is required in England and Wales.
- GOV.UK – Party Wall etc. Act 1996 guidance — Government guidance on notifying neighbours and resolving disputes over shared or boundary walls, relevant to attached garage conversions.
- Planning Portal – Garage conversion — National guidance on when planning permission is needed for a garage conversion in England.
- Planning Portal – Outbuildings — National guidance on permitted development rules for garden buildings and outbuildings, including height and coverage limits.