The supporters group is mainly made up of local residents, many of whom live in the Queens Road Estates Richmond, a series of social housing developments on the east side of Queens Road, in St. Matthias Conservation Area 30.
The group is dedicated to improving biodiversity, conservation, natural and built environment. By protecting and improving the quality of all that surrounds us, we aim to create better places to live for people and wildlife.
The group has the support of the three major stakeholders that determine what happens in the area. These are:
- The Richmond Foundation, which owns the freehold of the land on which the estates stand. The Richmond Foundation has already confirmed its willingness to work with the Supporters Group.
- London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q), the social landlord that the estates are leased to and managed by. We are currently in on-going discussions about working together and hope to have a positive outcome by June 2026.
- The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (LBRUT), which has overall responsbility for the area. We have the support of the three local councillors responsible for our area.
Our aim is to work harmoniously with all stakeholders but, when necessary, we will hold all three, and their contractors, to high standards of upkeep, maintenance, repair and improvement of both the built and landscaped environments.
The group will engage on a macro level with issues that affect all residents on the Queens Road Estates Richmond, for instance, brickwork, windows, doors, communal areas and street lighting. What we cannot do is to offer help on a micro level, such as individual resident's issues or problems. When possible we will, however, signpost available help.
Working with with environmental charity Habitats and Heritage and the Richmond Society, our aim is to encourage the three stakeholders to help us maintain the built environment, part of which is Grade 2 listed (https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1400339?section=official-list-entry), and to restore the neglected landscaped areas in order to foster biodiversity and promote an environment conducive to resdients' wellbeing.
We ensivage a Wildlife Corridor that will run from Grove Gardens (between Phase 2 and Richmond Cemetery) in the north to the Amenity Land (between Phase One/Lass of Richmond Hill pub and Richmond Park) in the south.
Along the Wildlife Corridor we hope to introduce new features and to restore some we have lost, like the bluebell wood and fruit trees on the Amenity Land. Starting in October 2026, here we will be clearing brambles and overgrown vegetation to allow the bluebells air and light enough to return and replant the fruit tress in the open area, as this was an important source of seasonal food for wildlife. In the longer term, we hope to replace the long-disused and now negllected playground at the rear of Hobart Place with a new Rain Garden.This will allieviate the effects of urban heat islands and localised flooding, provide a thriving habitat for wildlife, and a tranquil refuge for residents.
The supporters group was started by residents of the Queens Road Estates but we welcome supporters from neighbouring streets and further afield who share our interest in promoting the biodiversity, ecology, conservation, history, architecture, ecology and community wellbeing.
Our Future Plans page https://e-voice.org.uk/foqre/news/ details some of the things we have started working on and others that would love to achieve.
The lifeblood of any group is its members and supporters. Over the spring and summer of 2026 we will be organising in conjunction with Habitats and Heritage a series of ecologist-led guided walks along the proposed route of the wildlife corridor. More details coming soon.
If you have any suggestions and thoughts you want to share, or if want to get involved in any way whatsoever, we would love to get an email from you at friendsofqueensroadestates@gmail.com
Better still, read our Constitution and sign up on the link to join us https://e-voice.org.uk/foqre/join/