A public meeting has been called for Thursday, 3 July 2014 at 6.30pm in Winchester Hall, Turks Head where an action group is getting together.
By now many of you will have heard that the Council are looking to develop the site along the riverside to house the ‘Gloriana’. They require an area that can put the boat into dry dock and of three proposed areas; we have now learnt the Council favour this area alongside the playground. Luckily we have heard about it before it has gone to a public consultation stage, so we have time to act and get a working group together to fight this proposal.
We now need to all individually contact the local Councillor for the area Susan Chappell Cllr.SChappell@richmond.gov.uk to voice our objections, as well as to d.allister@richmond.gov.uk from the planning department. Though this is probably early in the process, we might as well start to get our views heard.
Other comments I think worth to include:
- The boat is not old and a part of some historic heritage
- Trees and natural wildlife would be effected
- This area is totally unsuitable for more traffic, and would become a rat run if they open up the road again along the riverside
- Twickenham is in need of massive rejuvenating why not put it there-or Hampton Court Palace where tourists visit already and it would have some significance as it was gifted to the Queen (still within the Borough of Richmond)
- The Council can ill afford such an expensive development. Do they plan to charge people to view this boat which will be put in a structure so no-one can go aboard or touch it? Why do they think it would attract tourists anyway! It would become an expensive white elephant.
- This very morning the road was flooded along that area because of tides
- The local community love the area just as it is!!! We love the peace and tranquillity. The unspoilt nature of the area. The local coffee shop-not a Starbucks or Costa!
– from a local residents - Mandie Adams McGuire - adams.appeal@virgin.net and Sandra Hazlewood - sandra.hazlewood@mail.com
Comments
Note that the plans leaked to and published by Twickerati are NOT the plans now favoured by the Council, which come from N Foster & co. and remain Top Secret.
The site is in Riverside ward; contact details for all three councillors are at: www.richmond.gov.uk/home/council/councillors/who_are_my_councillors.htm They are all Conservatives so their natural instinct will be to support Lord True, who has just led them to victory in last month's election.
Where is Scott Naylor when we need him?
The borough's planning policies would squash this development if it was a private initiative but we can expect the planners to find reasons enough to disregard them for this 'exceptional' scheme.
You need to follow the example of the Footbridge campaign: get a Facebook page; get the national press interested, send a piece to Private Eye's Rotten Borough column, organise a demo.
Chris Squire on 2014-06-26 10:11:26 +0000Go Christopher! Couldn't agree more.
Ian on 2014-06-27 07:46:14 +0000Today's RTT Online has: 'A right royal argey-bargey (p 1 lead story); and two letters: Digging up area for Gloriana (p 25) and No mention of riverside plans can be found anywhere from Mr Bigley (p 26)
edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?pbid=c7955673-549d-44a9-9a9c-a642bedeaef8
Chris Squire on 2014-06-27 10:56:19 +0000I like the idea. It seems appropriate given the cultural and creative history of Twickenham. Let us be positive about this. If there are to be any working groups let them be to ensure that this proposal brings advantages to Twickemham.
Terry King on 2014-06-27 11:46:11 +0000They are now on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/sinkthegloriana?fref=ts
Chris Squire on 2014-06-27 19:32:25 +0000The Council is preparing information for a public consultation on the proposals, which is due to go live on the council website on Monday 30th June as well as planning a consultation event, to be held at Orleans House Gallery over the weekend of 18, 19 & 20 July.
Ben Khosa on 2014-06-28 07:48:38 +0000Why build this "dry dock" at significant expense when a perfectly good facility already exists in the borough which could be improved and made suitable for a modest investment. It's called Thames Young Mariners.
Christopher Squire: Scott Naylor is also opposing this, search @TwickRegenrate">@TwickRegenrate on twitter.
Ed on 2014-06-28 15:53:08 +0000I think it's a great idea, it will bring people from all over to enjoy our park and area, it's not just for resident, I like the bit written by the protesters "The London borough of Richmond upon Thames is secretly planning to destroy a tranquil riverside park".
Tranquil!! it might be at 08:00hrs on a week day, but visit at weekends and the playground is full of screaming and screeching children, barking and yapping dogs, hardly Tranquil.
I can't seen to find anything about destroying ancient trees and the children's playground, or is it a case of put it anywhere, but not in my backyard.
I hope it all goes ahead asap
alsie42 on 2014-06-28 18:29:38 +0000`The Facebook page has changed to: Twickenham Vs The Gloriana www.facebook.com/sinktheglorianaproposals
Chris Squire on 2014-06-29 10:54:05 +0000The Council's Gloriana consultation is at: stmgrts.org.uk/l/gloriana
Chris Squire on 2014-07-01 17:41:39 +0000