Twickenham Riverside
An environmental solution
 The Twickenham Riverside development was initially precipitated by the demise of the public baths which were deemed uneconomic to repair.
For the last 27 years, the site has lain derelict as various plans have been put forward but all seem to put profit ahead of real benefit to the community in the form of open public space, with access to the riverside.
The site is prime riverside real estate - enough to make any developer’s eyes water, and consequently, poses a significant financial temptation to any council.
 I believe that the imperative here should not be financial, but should take into account the long-term good of the community and the interests of the local wildlife. The Liberal Council like to talk an environmental game, but there’s more to the environment than just penalising motorists; there is a prime opportunity here to make Twickenham Riverside truly green - by not building over it at all!
 At a meeting in September 2007, the council unveiled their latest plan which includes building 44 luxury flats (no social housing), a “River Centre” (which would be an eco-museum for all ages), offices and a cafe/restaurant. At best, this plan might mean moving the recently refurbished Jubilee playground; at worst, the playground might have to go altogether. This will have considerable impact on the local families that use the playground.
 At this meeting, it also became clear that the River Centre and adjoining cafe did not have a fully thought-through and costed business plan. This means that the council would be effectively subsidising a private enterprise on prime real estate without having any guarantee of financial return.
The proposals continue to be progressed at the Council’s Consultants Options meetings. The brief to the chosen Environmental Consultants (rather than the Environment Trust) has crystallised development of 15 houses or 40-odd flats. These are expected to provide the financial basis for building the shell of the proposed River Centre building. The really important facilities of the existing playground/café are not defined. Public open space, including that existing at the foot of Water Lane is under threat by reason of an elaborate road system, to accommodate the increased population and their cars that come with the proposed housing.
 The price in community terms is too high. This project appears to be a means of tidying up years of neglect and poor management.
The consultations so far have been complex, with the 15th October exhibition in Twickenham Rugby Stadium giving residents who turned up only 1-hour to consider 10 complicated proposals.
 The already difficult parking situation in central Twickenham will not be eased with the plan, as more housing units and attractions without more parking will increase pressure in the Band D CPZ. The new road layouts are confusing for motorists and will turn residential roads in to two-way traffic avenues. Eel Pie residents may also see their parking allocation suffer as a result of these plans.
The existing features of the area appear to be being neglected in the hope of convincing everyone that they are already falling apart. The council appear to have no doubts that the community wants a River Centre and expensive luxury flats. This is now being done in the name of the environment and the latest consultants’ buzzword - exemplar sustainability. The watchword is neglect.
 What I would like to see is an open space available for community activities such as open air skating, farmers’ markets, exhibitions, marquees, theatre groups, open air art or even just picnics and sunbathing! Local children and their parents regularly use the area to feed birds and enjoy the wildlife. The view both to and from the river should be preserved. If the development goes ahead, open space once built on can never be recovered. Development on this scale is environmentally unsound and far from sustainable.
The paradox is evident. The Liberal Leader of the Council, Serge Lourie, wishes to make Richmond the greenest borough in London, whilst concreting over its green spaces.
Unfortunately, it is evident that any environmental concern has been forgotten provided that it can be preached in its own new building at public expense.
What are the alternatives? It will be expensive to disengage from the developer - however, they are business people and presumably are used to such clauses in their contract. Whatever the cost of this, and it could be as much as £160k over 6 months, the money could have been better spent by the Council on real conservation and renewal of the area - possibly by the Environmental Trust for Richmond. Also, the sums involved might have been put to addressing the original problem - the local baths of which there has been no mention of replacement. (Remember Richmond Ice Rink?) There are also existing buildings that can be used. If a River Centre building really is needed, why not adapt one of these?
Open space by the river, as in Richmond, is the real low cost and low maintenance solution. Public open space means that an community asset is used and not lost for all time. In addition, the value of the asset remains on the books.
I have held a street stall and canvassed residents’ opinions on the issue and their feelings are quite clear. This Council needs to listen and speak to the users of the existing playground and café.
If Council developments go ahead, we will permanently lose a wonderful view and unrivalled public access to the riverside areas in central Twickenham. This will be sold for a mess of potage to the developers of luxury accommodation. The river wildlife will also be affected. And what about all those extra cars? Is this the kind of heritage we want left for our children and community?
The Conservative alternative
The Conservative group on the Council have vehemently opposed the Liberal plans from day one, and whilst the LibDem councillors have been buttering up the developers with £ signs in their eyes, your local Conservatives have been productively working on an alternative proposal, having performed genuine consultation with local residents.
You can see the plan below, which has been given the thumbs up by hundreds of residents. Various petitions against the current proposals have attracted nearly 4,000 signatures and we have been actively campaigning in Twickenham on Saturday mornings to show our communities that there is an alternative to these short-sighted plans.
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Introducing the Conservative proposals for the Riverside Deputy Leader Councillor David Marlow said: “We have listened to local people and produced a plan which meets their wishes. “Public space dominates – this is a park with features! It includes a River Centre – it is quite untrue to say that we are against a River Centre – but this is an affordable building – not a £3m building, constructed at public expense and handed over to a private organisation. We retain the popular children’s playground on its existing site to keep the costs down and have taken note of the needs of Eel Pie Island residents and the demand for public toilets”.Deputy Leader Councillor Geoffrey Samuel added: “Our realistic proposals mean that we will not hand over public land to private developers for tower blocks of luxury flats or a millionaire’s row of houses. Local people do not want developers on this site. Our provision for the partially sighted is an innovative feature for the disabled. The ‘amphitheatre’ will be the site for small open-air performances and exhibitions, farmers’ markets and similar features.
If you want to support our campaign e-mail me or sign up to our online petition.
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