As the debate over the Twickenham riverside development rages on, ward councillors have moved to defend the controversial council plans.

Richmond Council proposes to develop a shop-lined arcade, linking King Street with the riverside, by spring 2019.

The multimillion pound scheme will also see the Embankment pedestrianised, with a new underground car park created to offset the loss of parking spaces.

The three-storey development includes between 20 and 40 apartments, as well as retail space, which will fund the ambitious project.

However, after a huge backlash in a recent public consultation, architects Quinlan and Francis Terry are revising the initial plans.

The Richmond and Twickenham Times spoke to a selection of ward councillors, all Conservatives, to get their views on the plans and how they differ from the Lib Dems’ 2009 plans.

Twickenham Riverside Councillor Susan Chappell said: “I was elected in 2010 on the basis of opening up the riverside as a public garden, which we did with the Diamond Jubilee Gardens.

“This is the next step – obviously a number of people didn’t like the first scheme but equally there were lots of people saying they did like it.

“There will be modifications and changes and they will reflect what people have said.

“I went into the pop-up shop in Church Street during the consultation several times and it was great to see people so engaged.

“This is completely different [from 2010] because that was a completely different style of architecture and we have kept the whole ground floor open to the public.”

Twickenham Riverside Councillor Benedict Dias said: “One of the major things I love about it is that there is a lot more greenery than we have ever had.

“It was before my time but from what I understand about the previous plans, they didn’t have the same amount of public access to the whole area.

“It was part of a gated development and now it isn’t – to be honest, I am very proud.”

South Twickenham Councillor David Porter said: “I am pleased the ongoing consultation is reviewing the outline proposals in line with public feedback and I am looking forward to seeing the revised proposals.

“There has been a succession of wildly unsuitable Lib Dem proposals and each has been as bad as the last.

“I think our record is infinitely superior to Lib Dems in every respect – all I’m looking for is a response.

“This isn’t our riverside, this is the people’s riverside.”

Councillor Clare Head was out of the country but said she "hoped the revised plans would be popular", while Councillor David Marlow and Councillor Helen Hill did not respond to this newspaper’s requests for a comment.