'We will keep fighting' - Twickenham Riverside campaigners' pledge (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

'We will keep fighting' - Twickenham Riverside campaigners' pledge

6:50am Thursday 29th October 2009 in

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Campaigners have vowed to fight on in their bid to stop houses being built on Twickenham Riverside - despite the plans being shelved until next summer.

The Friends of Twickenham Riverside (Fotr) group said it would not stop campaigning against the council’s proposed scheme to build 32 houses and a river centre on the riverside site. Members also reiterated their belief that the site should be turned into public space.

Their pledge follows council leader Serge Lourie’s shock announcement that he would not sign the contract with developer Countryside Properties until he had seen its accounts for 2009. The accounts are not expected to be published until summer 2010.

The delay is likely to mean the controversial riverside plans will become a key issue on which the Liberal Democrats will fight the next local election, next May.

Fotr member Scott Naylor said: “Everyone’s just so pleased. You can see the relief just spreading through people’s faces when we tell them the news.

“It’s about the community moving forward now. We will fight right through the election.

“We have a lot of work to do to communicate with the community in more detail about the plans which the opposition have promised to back to restore the site to a full amenity space.”

Campaigners this week raised concerns over the financial standing of the developer after overdue accounts showed its parent company - Copthorn Holdings - had made a loss of £81.7m before tax for 2008. The company was also refinanced just weeks before the accounts were published, leading to further concerns.

However, a spokesman from Countryside said the refinancing had left the company in a stronger position.

He said: “By any conventional accountancy measure Countryside Properties’ parent company is entirely solvent and financially sound.

“This refinancing has restored the group's net assets to a very positive position (£110m).

“At the same time, substantial facilities have been retained for our ongoing development programme and the future cost of debt is significantly reduced, enabling the group to take advantage of the substantial landholdings under its control.”

Councillor Lourie this week pledged to get out into the community and is asking organisations to contact him if they would like to find out more about the redevelopment.

He said: “The administration and Countryside Properties continue to be committed to this scheme, which will end 30 years of dereliction of this key riverside site, will contribute to the regeneration of Twickenham and bring a range of community benefits, all at no capital cost to council taxpayers.

“I repeat my promise to go and speak to any organisation that is interested in the truth of what we want to do.”

If you would like to meet Coun Lourie, email cllr.slourie@richmond.gov.uk.

To find out more about Fotr visit friendsoftwickenhamriverside.org.uk

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