Riversniffers » Richmond Council

Twickenham Riverside saved?

riversniffers — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:09:29 +0000

Well no it isn’t, actually. But before a contract is signed for the River Centre and enabling housing the people of Twickenham will get the chance to make their wishes known at the ballot box.

At the end of a meeting of the full council on 20th October, LibDem Council Leader Serge Lourie made an announcement that stunned his audience. Because the Council’s chosen developer, Countryside Properties had filed delayed accounts for 2008/9, and those accounts showed a substantial loss for that year, it has been decided that it would be imprudent to proceed with this particular contractor without seeing their accounts for 2009/10. These accounts will not appear until the summer of 2010.

Before that, in May 2010, there is a local election. The Conservative opposition has declared it will not proceed with the Countryside scheme, but will instead consult with local amenity groups to arrive at a largely open-space scheme which will preserve the use of the majority of the Riverside land for the public.

This is yet another chapter in the 30-year saga of this site. But opponents of the Countryside scheme point out that a 9-12 month delay is still preferable to losing public amenity land for 999 years.

The May 2010 local election will have a special relevance for the residents of Twickenham.

Funeral for Twickenham Riverside

riversniffers — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:11:27 +0000

An extraordinary event took place in Twickenham yesterday. Prior to a council meeting at York House, at which the Conservative opposition sought to have the Riverside decision-making process reviewed, members of the Save our Riverside group took part in a mock funeral for Richmond Riverside.

There follows a selection of photographs of the event. There’s not much need for text to explain it much further – readers who have read the earlier post on this subject “Save Our Riverside” will be familiar with the issue.

Needless to say, despite the demonstration and many cogent arguments from members of the public and opposition councillors, the LibDem council is going ahead with their chosen scheme for the Riverside.

Anyway, here are the pictures of the mock funeral – the strangest event the town has seen for quite a while.

Save our Riverside

riversniffers — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:01:30 +0000

On Friday 24^th April about 200 people gathered on Twickenham Riverside to protest against the Richmond Council plan to put houses and offices on Twickenham Riverside.

Long-standing residents will know the troubled history of this site. Many will have longed for “something to be done” about it. Well, the trouble is, the “something” that Richmond Council has come up with is the worst of all worlds, and mean this crucial piece of public land will be lost to the public for the next 100 years or more.

In a recent consultation, a clear majority were against the Council’s plans. But the Council is disregarding the consultation findings. They propose to go ahead with the scheme, and say those opposed to the scheme are a “politically motivated” minority.

Take a look at the people in the photographs. Do they look like a politically motivated minority to you?

No, I thought not.

It takes a lot to provoke the rather peaceful residents of this Borough into direct action. But yesterday they demonstrated. The demonstration was good-natured, and good mannered. But there is a deep anger at what the Council is intending.

The rationale for covering the Riverside in luxury housing is to fund the development of a £3 million office building, which will be used as an Environment Centre.

Many people are deeply sceptical about the commercial viability of such a centre. Riversniffers has spoken to a lot of people. Not one person we have spoken to has seen the need for it. Most are at a loss as to its purpose.

Sorry, Trevor - this scheme is not just a wind-up. They mean to do it

Many point out that the Environment Trust that wants to put the centre in Twickenham has been offered alternative premises on Eel Pie Island. Many people also feel that the scheme may just be a Trojan horse for the eventual takeover of the office building as luxury riverside offices for the Council “nomenklatura”

Despite what people think, the Council is determined to push ahead. The next action will be taken at a Cabinet meeting at York House on Monday 27th April at 7pm. The purpose of the meeting is to approve the choice of a developer to carry out the scheme, and to authorise the sale of the land.

: We’re going ahead anyway…

The public are entitled to attend the meeting. You may wish to attend yourself, and witness the final act in this deeply misguided exercise. You can at least say you were there when the people of Twickenham lost this crucial public amenity for ever.

Terrace Gardens – Richmond

riversniffers — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:18:19 +0000

There is a hill beside the silver Thames

Shady with birch and beech and odorous pine;

And brilliant underfoot with thousand gems.

Steeply the thickets to his floods decline.

Robert Bridges – Poet Laureate

There won’t be much text in this post.

It’s just a celebration in pictures of the wonderful job that Richmond Council’s Leisure Services Department has done in renovating, landscaping and replanting the Terrace Gardens.

A great place to sit on a bench and read the paper. Or to lie on the grass and imbibe a tinny or two. Or (as Riversniffers witnessed) have a full blown al fresco meal complete with hampers, bottles of wine and tables and chairs

Or one can visit the Hollyhock Cafe (see separate review on this site)

With over 100 parks and open spaces to manage in the borough, it’s a big job to keep on top of the work.

But it should be said that the Council’s Leisure Services Department has excelled itself.

The Verdict

Richmond’s own Itchycoo Park (and you know what they did there…)

Other Notes

Follow the link here for more information on the project, and here for opening times