Thames Landscape Strategy Update

Community Advisory Group meeting, Richmond, 6/11/07

One of our Committee Members attended this latest meeting on behalf of CARA. Lots of interesting topics covered about the towpath, plans for approaches to Hampton Court, “making space for water” etc. These are the areas which directly impact the CARA area:

• Lighting. Biffa has made a grant for riverside lighting between Richmond and Twickenham – currently a consultation is going on re use of the towpath at night + bat surveys (one last summer, one due in spring) + research on different lighting and light pollution, reflections in water etc. Interestingly, the police are not keen on lighting dark places, which encourages use and thus decreases security, apparently. Whatever TLS finds out will be very relevant to lighting in Canbury Gardens, one to watch.
• Not strictly in the CARA area, though used by CARA members no doubt, parts of Ham Lands have been identified as possible “space for water” to avoid flooding elsewhere. This would involve removing all the rubble deposited there post-war and some trees (also post-war) and restoring / creating water meadows. There will consultation on the proposals, and parties can register to be consulted. NB the land would not be flooded all the time and would still be usable for leisure, e g , there would be boardwalks over boggy bits.
• House boats – concerns were raised about the growing height of some houseboats moored at Kingston, and at the itinerant houseboats (who don’t pay licences, which the Environment Agency is a bit feeble about enforcing). The EA is on the case, apparently.
• Heritage Lottery Funding – Kingston has had less than any other London borough and therefore applications would be favourably received. Possible TLS / CARA projects could be restoration of Canbury Gardens lighting projects and improving the area around Slug and Lettuce.
• Hotel development on power station site – discussion regarding the recent planning meeting (see separate post). Apparently English Heritage objected on grounds of the impact on the protected view from Richmond Hill.