Housing plan under fire (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Housing plan under fire

7:25am Monday 29th October 2007

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Controversial plans to extend a housing development in Hampton Wick have come under further fire this week as the Royal Parks Agency and the Environment Agency issue damning condemnations of the proposals.

Earlier this month mayor of London Ken Livingstone decided in principle to support plans to extend a housing development in Sandy Lane, on a plot of land known as the Seeboard or Jewson site, which would add an extra 40 apartments to the site.

But opponents, which include the Hampton Wick Association and the Teddington Society, were given a boost as the two key agencies came out against the planned expansion, which would increase the height of the blocks overlooking Bushy Park.

In 2005 Richmond Council approved a plan to build 198 apartments on the former gas works, as well as a crèche and nursing home, alongside additional retail and office space, but developer Linden Homes has submitted a new planning application seeking permission for 238 units.

The Royal Parks Agency (RPA) and the Environment Agency (EA) have mirrored the views of Hampton Wick and Teddington householders, who have already formed the Sandy Lane Site Action Group (SLSAG) to lead formal opposition to the scheme, in damning the plans.

The RPA told Richmond Council the visual impact and intrusion on Bushy Park would be significant and detract from the historic views of the park and made it clear it was unhappy about the way Linden Homes had gone ahead with the new application without telling them.

The EA said Linden Homes had clearly flouted rules about planning for future flooding with no surface water flood risk assessment being submitted and added its failure to give details of how pipes and drains would cope with storms meant it had "failed to demonstrate that the surface water flood risks resulting from this development can be safely managed."

SLSAG have welcomed the criticisms of the plans and secretary Ian Jones-Healey said Linden Homes were trying to ride roughshod over the local community and the planning process.

"They've already betrayed local people, having said in 2005 they wouldn't expand the site. Now they want to avoid doing the right thing by the authorities," he continued.

"With the Royal Parks and the Environment Agency, they've obviously failed. Let's hope Richmond Council see the danger too and stop this expansion."

Richmond Council is currently consulting the public on the application.

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