Rowing club's fears over plans to develop surrounding site

10:32am Friday 28th November 2003

PROPOSALS to develop the area around Putney Rowing Club in Kew are being explored and if successful could cause serious implications for the association.

Richmond upon Thames Council, which owns the freehold of the site as well as the car park to the rear and another building, is looking at the potential of the area for a limited mixed-use development scheme.

But the club claims this would restrict its ability to operate and any development would mean temporarily leaving the site, which would be disastrous.

While the chairman of the club, Geoff Adams, does not want to get in the way of the council's plans, it will be difficult to share the space.

He said: "We cater for males and females and are very much a family group.

"It is our intention to stay here for the duration to make a bigger and better club and we are reluctant about development."

He added: "Also we need a large car park for boat trailers as well as cars and we need space for our boats, which do not turn on a sixpence!

"We are trying to persuade the council to encourage rowing in the borough and that will be difficult with the development of the site."

Cllr Serge Lourie, leader of the borough Lib Dems and a Kew councillor, said: "The parking at the car park is needed for the clubs, schools and gymnastics.

"This would be a disgrace. I am against more development in Kew."

The council maintain that they are looking at the potential of the site and say the value of which would help, among other things, to fund the costs of new and improved rowing facilities in the borough.

A spokesman said: "There is absolutely no intention to terminate the Putney Rowing Club's occupation of the site. Rather, we are exploring ways of improving their position within it.

"We are liaising with the club and an initial viability exercise will be undertaken over the coming weeks."

He added: "No decisions will be taken until after that initial exercise is concluded and the public will, of course, be fully consulted if and when any specific options were to emerge."

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