Charity Fund Raising Barbecue (and entertainment) at the Pavilion

The Canbury Pavilion team are running an event on Saturday 5th July at 7pm in aid of the Ladirani Trust. a charity which supports children in Malawi who have lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS.

Tickets £10 inc BBQ and entertainment from an African Drum group!!

Contact Trevor Willis or Kate Tebb or failing that drop us a line and we'll pass on details.

Consultation On Hotel Planning Application *NEW*

Many people will have received a letter from Roy Thompson at RBK concerning the revised planning application made by NHP for the erection of:

(a) A part 7 / part 7 / part 8 storey building on the east side of site around the EDF substation (on Skerne Road) for a 180 bedroom hotel (with conference, banqueting & meeting facilities) and 121 flats; and (b) 2 blocks (part 6 / part 8 and and part 9 / part 11 storey) providing 235 flats on the west part of the site (the Riverside); together with parking and amenity space on the site of the old Kingston Power Station, Skerne Road, Kingston-upon-Thames.

These latest proposals are different from those previously refused permission in October 2007 (06/12424/FUL) in the following respects:

The Riverside proposals:

• have been entirely redesigned
• there would be two blocks arranged around a central courtyard
• the overall height of the proposals has been drastically reduced
• there would be 13 more flats in this part of the site
• vehicular access to the site remains off Henry MacCauley Avenue but the entrance to the underground parking has been relocated further south within the site.

The Skerne Road proposals:

• there are detailed changes to the external appearance and its scale and mass
• the proposed hotel has been increased from 150 to 180 bedrooms
• the proposed flats have been redesigned internally, some are enlarged and thus there would be 27 fewer flats in this block.

You can see a copy of the application at:

1. The Environmental Services Help Desk, 2nd Floor, Guildhall 2 between 8.45am and 5pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am to 4.45pm on Fridays.
   
2. Kingston Library during normal opening hours.

You can also view applications on the Council's website at www.kingston.gov.uk

After a huge amount of debate the CARA Committee is broadly supportive of these new proposals as we wish to see improvements to this long neglected but strategically important site for the town centre, creating a solution of which everyone can be proud of.

We would also encourage all interested parties to comment on this application (both those who are 'for' and those 'against'). In fact the Council welcomes relevant comment as part of the consideration of the application. Please write, e-mail (including your name and address) to dc@rbk.kingston.gov.uk, or comment directly at www.kingston.gov.uk by 21st April 2008, quoting the reference number 08/12146.

Presumably this will be reviewed at the Development Control Committee scheduled for Thursday 5th June 2008 at 7.30pm at the Guildhall.

(Click on the image for a larger view of the plan)

Get Fit In The Gardens

See the attached information on forthcoming get fit activity in Canbury Gardens

Sessions consists of 'low impact cardio' exercise by the Thames for up to 20 adults. Starts 31st May 2008.

Contact Julia on 07758 570656, email info@AHM-Go.com or speak to Trevor at the Pavilion for details.

Richmond Road Shops & Post Office Update

At CARA we are very keen to see the continued presence and support of the parade of shops adjacent to our area along the Richmond Road.

Over the last two years we have been working with the Council and local businesses to deliver a range of improvements to improve the image of the area in order to encourage additional trade and provide a more vibrant amenity for local residents. Much of the work has been made possible by the provision of grants made available from TFL (Transport for London).

Last year the Council carried out a package of Highway improvements to roads adjacent to the parade. These included new entry treatments, corrections to pavements, the removal of unnecessary street furniture (bollards, signs etc) and improved signage for the FREE one hour shopper parking. Just before Christmas the contractors started work on the second phase which has resulted in the removal of a largely unused advertising hoarding; the planting of four trees outside Nos. 127 -141 Richmond Road and the installation of new cycle stands.

At the same time we appreciate the efforts of many of our local traders in support of the improvements being made. Please support them by spending some money locally!

Whilst not to everyones taste it is a shame that the BetRouge bookmakers has moved on. It is also regrettable that as part the Post Office restructuring programme, the Chestnut Grove post office on the corner of Chestnut Road and Richmond Road has along with 169 other of the capital's 850 post offices been earmarked for closure. There will be a period of consultation regarding this but on the evidence of the recent branch access survey, it is felt that the post offices opposite Sainsburys and the one on Kings Road offer sufficient alternative amenity.

However, we're not so sure the amenity of the post office itself is not being treated in an equitable manner under the assessment.

In relation to the other two alternative branches compared to it at 76 Richmond Road and most significantly the one at 161 Park Road we noted the following:

• Chestnut Grove Post Office (CGPO) is open longer than the Kings Road branch (46.5 hours compared to 37.5)
• Has two serving positions compared to Kings Road's one
• Serves between 100 and 250 more people a week
• Serves a larger population than the Kings Road Branch (38658 v 36270)
• Has unique free parking next to the branch - both other branches only have pay parking available nearby
  
• Has free disabled parking in the adjacent street
• In terms of disabled access, CGPO has no restrictions (the others have a step or an entrance strip).

Contrary to the report we would also comment that:

• CGPO offers additional service in terms of stationery products and a reasonably popular internet cafe facility which is used during the day by passing traffic and local students.
  
• The branch is in fact on a local Bus Route - the Number 65 which is a 24 hour service run every 7 minutes on average by TFL (albeit we have already had discussions re the re-siting of adjacent bus stops to the parade as previously mentioned).
• The buses all have good disabled low floor access and offer concession for children those over 60 years of age.

Such information appears to have been completely left out the report published on the Post Office web site. Furthermore we would like many other have, comment that:

• CGPO is a key stone store for the rest of the parade. People visit there to conduct business and then go to the florist, butcher, newsagent, cafe etc.
• Without it, there is a risk that other shops may suffer in a similar way to when the chemist relocated into the Sainsburys store.
• Unlike Kings Road, the CGPO acts as an amenity for these local businesses as well many of the local residents who work from home from time to time. Again quantifying the use by organisations and businesses from the tennis clubs, the Pavilion, the pubs, Creed Miles, the shops to the photographer etc. would set it far apart in terms of usefulness from the Kings Road branch.

And finally this Post Office, unlike the other one at 76 Richmond Road, has a post box!!!

Let us try and keep it for the good of the community. If you would like to comment on the Post Office closure please let us know by visiting the Discussion section on the CARA Community Hub.

Grants for local clubs, societies, groups and projects

The 2008 CARA Community Grant Programme has been created to invest in projects which underpin the aims and objectives of CARA to protect and enhance amenities within the area for all residents and users.

For the second year running we are looking to invest some of our funds in local organisations and in so doing:

• Help organisations to become stronger by acquiring or developing assets for their own use.
• Encourage inclusive communities through active participation in clubs, societies and groups.
• Support projects that help people deal with change in their lives.
• Enhance or protect the local environment for the benefit of the whole community.

A wide range of groups can apply for each of the four grants available this year including charities, voluntary and community groups, social enterprises, sports projects and special interest groups. As in 2007, we expect most of the grants we make to be in the region of £500.

If you are interested in applying, please email us at cara.kingston@gmail.com and we will send you a simple outline proposal form for you to complete to tell us about your idea and your group. Alternatively you can download the application form here.

At anytime during the process you can speak to us regarding your application or to discuss your idea or any queries you may have.

Please note all applications must be received by 31st May 2008. We anticipate awarding grants to successful applicants by 30th June 2008.

Volunteers needed for CARA spring tidy-ups with Thames Landscape Strategy (TLS)

Sunday February 24th, meeting at Albany Sailing Centre at 10.30 am - vegetation "haircut" and tree planting.
Lopping and pruning till about 12.30, followed by planting two new black poplars trees by the Hawker Centre in memory of Madge Over, who lived by the towpath until her death in 2006 at the age of ninety.
Volunteers are advised to wear old clothes with sturdy footwear. TLS will provide gloves and relevant tools – secateurs, shears, loppers etc for vegetation management, and a spade for the tree planting. TLS will give a short health and safety briefing before we start and will be on hand to answer queries regarding the use of equipment. They will also undertake a risk assessment beforehand and helpers will be covered by Royal Borough of Kingston insurance.
Please let a CARA Committee member know if you intend to come along.

Sunday March 30th, meeting at Albany Sailing Centre at 10.30 am - riverside litter-picking from Canbury Gardens to the Boundary Stone.
Volunteers of all ages are welcome to join in, no special skill or equipment required, but old clothes, sturdy footwear and rubber gloves are recommended. TLS will undertake a risk assessment beforehand and the activity will be covered by Royal Borough of Kingston insurance. After the litter-pick, there will be a brief ceremony by the trees planted in February in memory of Madge Over.

How do you feel about plastic carrier bags?

Would you stop using local shops if you had to take your own shopping bag? Or are you fed up of seeing plastic bags littering our roadsides, hedges and river, and think the CARA area would benefit from being the first in Kingston to get rid of throw-away carrier bags? London Councils have voted for a total ban, and already Kingston media and retailers are discussing the pros and cons.

The Towards a Plastic-Bag-Free Kingston campaign (www.plasticbagfreekingston.org.uk) has asked the organisers of the Green Fair to discourage stall-holders this year from giving out plastic bags and encourage visitors to bring their own bags, thus cutting down on waste and litter in the true spirit of the Green Fair. The campaigners are also asking local shops, starting with the small parade on Richmond Road, how they feel about giving out free plastic carrier bags and whether they think their businesses would be at a disadvantage if they stopped giving them out.

What do you think?