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. When necessary, however, we will hold them, and their contractors, to account for standards of upkeep, maintenance, repair and improvement of both the built and landscaped environments, much of which won architectural and civic awards when first built.
The group will engage on a macro level with issues that affect the integrity of the Queens Road Estates Richmond. These issues include brickwork, windows, doors, communal areas and street lighting.
The group is unable to offer help on a micro level, in other words, it will not get involved with individual resident's issues or problems. When possible, however, it will signpost residents to 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.
Building on the Wildlife Corners, established over several years by residents of Phase 2, we now ensivage a Wildlife Corridor connecting the three phases of the estates. It will start at Grove Gardens in the north (see photo below), which lies between Phase 2 and Richmond Cemetery.
The Wildlife Corridor will then snake along Grove Road, past the Cambrian Community Centre (see photos below).
The Wildlife Corridor will continue through Reynolds Place walkway, across Chishold Road and into Hobart Place walkway (see photo below.
The Wildlife Corridor will end on the Amenity Land in the south, located between Richmond Park, Phase One, and the Lass of Richmond Hill pub (see photo below).
We hope that one day the corridor will run almost the entire eastern length of Queens Road, extending further north down Grove Road, past the back of St. Elizabeth's Primary School, to Pesthouse Common and Christ's School.
The Wildlife Corridor gives us the chance to introduce new features and to restore some we have lost, like the bluebell wood and fruit trees on the Amenity Land in the south. Here, starting in October 2026, we will work with volunteers to clear brambles, ground ivy and overgrown vegetation to allow the bluebells air and light enough to return. At the same time in the open area, we want to replant some fruit trees, an important source of seasonal food for wildlife.
One of the longer term projects is to replace the long-disused, and now neglected, playground at the rear of Hobart Place with a Rain Garden to allieviate the effects of urban heat islands and localised flooding, provide a habitat for wildlife, and a place of tranquility 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 summer-autumn 2026 we will work with Habitats and Heritage a series of ecologist-led guided walks along the proposed route of the wildlife corridor followed by the Supporters' Group official launch. 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/