News

June 14th 2023 - PLANNING COMMITTEE FINALLY MEET

Firstly a big thank you to everyone who sent in their objection letters last year (in total there are 110!), since then nothing has happened until now and suddenly there is going to be a Planning Committee Meeting on Wednesday 14th June at 7pm, it would be great to see some of you there at the meeting and if you feel moved to send in further objections then please do so.

We are planning to speak at the meeting (only two people are allowed) and attend in person but it is also possible to attend virtually via teams.

Many thanks for all your messages of support. They do make a big difference.

May 2022 - NEW PLANNING APPLICATION SUBMITTED

Thank you again for your ongoing support of this long-running saga, it has been lovely to meet many of you in person over the last couple of years.

There is now a New Planning Application (22/1225/FUL) that has been submitted and we only have a few weeks to make our feelings known otherwise we will lose some of our wonderful trees - looking particularly lovely right now!

The application is very lengthy. It proposes to build three houses that will open directly onto the end of Winchester Road. In order to do this they plan to remove three trees facing Winchester Road and enclose the cherry tree into the development. This reduces the pavement size and removes a right of way that has been there for over 40 years!

Last time we had 109 letters of support against the proposal and it would be great to get that number in again or more!

All objections should be made online (https://www2.richmond.gov.uk/lbrplanning/Planning_CaseNo.aspx?strCASENO=22/1225/FUL) using the "Make a Comment" button before May 31st. A list of the valid reasons for objection can be seen on the LBRUT Planning Portal HERE

Trees and planting around the car-park were put in place to improve the appearance of the locality as a condition placed upon the business park when it was developed in the 80's and the APPEAL DISMISSAL says

' I find that the collective value of the trees as a group is substantial and that they comprise an attractive cluster of trees, making a positive contribution to the appearance of the street. The loss of the trees, notwithstanding the proposals for replacement planting elsewhere, would substantially degrade the quality of the streetscene at this location. The inclusion of some replacement trees within the proposed scheme would do little to ameliorate this impact, given that the size and number would not be comparable to the existing specimens.

Consequently, for the reasons given above, I find that the proposal would be harmful to the character and appearance of the area, including the loss of protected trees, contrary to Policies LP1, LP15 and LP16 of the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan (the Local Plan). Together, and amongst other things, these policies seek to ensure that development contributes to the local environment and character, as well as protecting existing trees that are of amenity value.'

Many thanks for whatever support you feel you are able to offer

April 2021 - Appeal DISMISSED - GodWin Residents SAVED the trees!!

Having finally heard just before Christmas 2020 that permission to build the 4 houses had been refused the fight continued and we finally heard in early April 2021 that an Appeal regarding the car-park site has been submitted to the Secretary of State, submissions were made by all parties and we have now heard that THE APPEAL HAS BEEN DISMISSED and THE TREES HAVE BEEN SAVED!

All documents (including the appeal dismissal) are shown on the LBRUT Planning Website HERE

This is obviously great news and a powerful testament to the power of all the local residents who have supported this campaign from the outset - many thanks to those who have written letters and e-mails of objection regarding this proposed development.

It remains now to be seen what the next move might be, whilst the appeal letter of dismissal makes it very clear that the trees must stay and that the proposed development 'would fail to integrate appropriately with the surrounding development' and that the 'proposed building would be viewed as an overly bulky feature within the context of the surrounding townscape, and this would be appreciable from the adjacent road and would be a particularly unsympathetic feature when viewed from the elevated railway bridge. Thus, the appeal scheme would fail to integrate acceptably with the development with which it would share a close visual affinity.' It does also remove many of the other objections the council (and residents) had made which raises a question mark over the future of the site from this point forward.

We have reached out to CBRE Global Investors who are acting on behalf of the actual business site owners - The Pension Protection Fund - and are hoping to open a discussion about acquiring the site in order for it to become a Green Hub with provision for charging electric cars whilst providing a suitable visual amenity and a space that everyone can enjoy (even the Business Park owners!)

Once again many, many thanks for all of the phenomenal support given over the last year and congratulations to those who have supported this campaign.