Twickenham Riverside Newsletter Issue #1 Nov 2008

11.24.00am GMT Sat 22nd Nov 2008

' . . Our aim is to renew the riverside and create a well designed sustainable scheme that enhances not just the riverside and embankment but boosts the viability of the town centre . . '

• WHERE are we now? The Council has invited expressions of interest from those who were interested in working with the Council to develop the site. From 12 companies who applied, a shortlist of five has been drawn up. The five companies who were selected were chosen because of their track record in developing community projects and a strong commitment to the environment. Their financial track record was also a key component in their selection. They have now been asked to produce detailed plans of their proposed developments, using as their basic brief the plan that is overleaf. Three sets of these proposals are likely to be put before the public for further consultation early in 2009.

• Cllr Serge Lourie,Leader of Richmond Council writes: Our aim is to renew the riverside and create a well designed sustainable scheme that enhances not just the riverside and embankment but boosts the viability of the town centre. It will have a large amount of open space, a children's play area, a River Centre operated by the Environment Trust and private housing that will pay for all these improvements. The embankment will be improved as a result of the scheme and taking this into account housing, (including gardens and car parking) is likely to cover under 1/5 of the site. Most of the site has been derelict for 28 years and has defeated the efforts of successive administrations to come up with a plan that was right for the area and acceptable to local residents.

This has been a contentious issue for many years. A number of people have consistently opposed anything the Council has wanted to do. The Council has carefully weighed the options and has decided that, in the interest of the wider community, we should settle the future of this site once and for all. We will develop this site in a way that provides value for money as it will be self funding. We simply do not have other funds. In the last few weeks we also consulted local people on the first phase of proposed improvements to the east of the embankment which are to be funded by the Council and by London's Arcadia. The second phase of this embankment project will be funded by the Riverside scheme and together the two projects will improve the riverside and help revitalise Twickenham.

• FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: There have been many questions regarding the redevelopment of this site. In each edition of this newsletter a selection of these will be answered:

Q. What is the River Centre? A. The River Centre will serve the whole community but will have a specific purpose of helping everyone to understand and enjoy the river. It will provide links to the many clubs and organisations that now row or sail on the river. The organisations within the building will provide opportunities to volunteer and to learn new skills. The boat house will be a new base for active use of the river. The River Centre will have a café and public toilets beside the playground.

Q. Who will run the River Centre? A. The Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames is leading a consortium of environmental and community groups that brings together the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, Richmond Environment Network, The Thames Landscape Strategy and Help a Neighbour in Distress.

Q. Is this project about the Council selling public land to make money? A. No. The Council is selling a small proportion of the site for housing to fund high quality open space and community facilities. The Council aims to break even. If the Council just wished to make money for the tax payers, it would simply 'sell off' the whole of the land to private developers.

Q. Why not simply demolish the old buildings and turn the site into public open space? A. This is a derelict site and to turn it into a good public space would cost millions. It would add nothing to the viability of the town centre, be expensive to maintain and might attract anti-social behaviour at night. This development will satisfy a number of objectives:

1) There needs to be housing on this site in accordance with the planning policy for the site agreed under the previous administration;

2) The public amenity will both enhance the area and attract visitors to Twickenham;

3) Substantial public open space and play facilities will be provided;

4) The project will be self financing.

The current scheme satisfies these criteria.

Q. Will the new playground be as good as the existing one? A. Yes, it will be at least as large and as good. It will be within sight of the new café in the River Centre, for the safety and comfort of children and parents or carers.

• FOR more information about the development go to http://www.richmond.gov.uk/twickenham_riverside_regeneration Alternatively email cllr.slourie@richmond.gov.uk. If you would like to send your comments by post, please send them to: Cllr Serge Lourie, Richmond Council, Civic Centre, 44 York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BZ

Related Links:

• Riverside councillors make the case for the River Centre on Twickenham Riverside

• Twickenham Riverside: The Council's principal development objectives

• The Twickenham River Centre