Byfleet is located in south east London, in the Borough of Woking. Around 19 miles from Charing Cross, the neighbourhood is also not far from the M25. The area is an old Surrey Village, with churches that date back to the 13th century. West Byfleet High Street is unique to inner-city London high streets in that it has many residential homes and local shops. The street is even home to a fire station from 1885!

Byfleet dates back to 727 A.D. Traces of a Neolithic village have been found in the area. The town has long had a manufacturing history, and in 1907, a motor racing track was built in neighbouring Brooklands. The area attracted engineers as well as aviators. These engineers included the Vickers family, which went on to create a multi-sector manufacturing company, helping to double the locality’s population. The neighbourhood played an important role during World War One, with Brooklands being the local factory and airfield which built WW1 airplanes. One of the factory’s planes was the Tarrant Tabor bomber. Unfortunately, this plane had a fatal crash upon its first take off on 26 May 1919.

The former Village School originally opened in the area in 1856. It is now a Day Centre which was opened by Princess Diana in 1986.

A public children’s playground is set to be refurbished by two local parents. This project is being funded because the playground is said to be dangerous and a health and safety risk to local children. Unfortunately, within the Borough of Woking, Byfleet has one of the highest crime rates and reports of antisocial behaviour.

Despite this area’s suburban character the pace of development and change has been surprisingly steady compared to other neighbourhoods around the greenbelt. The most significant of these changes will be the development of a vast 147,000 square metre site on Parvis Road. Named Broadoaks, the development will comprise 155 dwellings, employment land, research facilities and a new school. Some residents have expressed concerns about over development, with 44,000 square metres of greenbelt land safeguarded for housing stock to be built from 2027 onwards.