We’ve submitted the petition details of all your wonderful signatures and comments. But, to ensure your views are heard by the Council, you need to object to the planning application AS WELL. We can’t tell you how to object but you may wish to comment on: 1. The lack of a Town Square large enough for farmers markets, fairs, performances and possibly a seasonal ice rink 2. The inappropriate Scale of the Architecture (4 storeys facing the Water Lane cottages and EPI) 3. The Unsuitable Style of Architecture, that doesn’t ‘Enhance the Character of the Conservation Area’ or fit the local vernacular. 4. Lack of an Integrated Approach to Development of the Riverside site. Excluding DJ Gardens, the Embankment and rear of King Street from the scope has inevitably resulted in sub-optimal plans. 5. Failure to ‘Look beyond retail to provide an extended range of activities to attract more people’ (TAAP). 6. Failure ‘To Improve the Environment of the Embankment’ (TAAP). 7. An Increase in Traffic and Parking along the Riverfront due to the additional flats and retail units, the extra underground car park, and closure of the service road from Water Lane. 8. Failure 'To improve the pedestrian environment and reduce dominance of parked and moving traffic' (TAAP). 9. Failure to ‘Improve the public realm and reduce the impact of traffic – to create an attractive and safe place which people will enjoy visiting’ (TAAP). 10. Financial Viability. In 2016-17 the Council were aiming for a ‘Nil Net Cost’ development. Finally, in the planning application they revealed that they will have to write-off the £6.8 million purchase cost of the Santander block, plus a building development Viability Appraisal loss of £6.0 million (partially offset by some confidential ‘potential savings’). Is this a good ‘investment’? Is this a good use of taxpayers money? 11. Failure to Listen to Residents main concerns expressed since the Barefoot Consultation in 2010, and fundamental to the TAAP (2013), to remove cars from the riverside and for a proper town square to provide a pedestrian-friendly central attraction for residents and visitors to Twickenham. Please take a look at the TAAP (Twickenham Area Action Plan). It’s the key document covering the development plans for whole town centre. The most relevant sections are Vision, Objectives & Strategy on p18-19, Transport on p19-23, and Riverside specific plans on p55-60. https://www.richmond.gov.uk/twickenham_area_action_plan Please use you own words when objecting (apart from TAAP quotes of course). Judging by your petition comments you’ll probably do an even better job than us. This really is your last chance to Have Your Say on the Council’s deeply disappointing plans. The planning application is here: http://www2.richmond.gov.uk/PlanData2/Planning_CaseNo.aspx?strCASENO=17/4213/FUL If you’ve already objected, you can comment again, so long as it’s on a different aspect of the carbuncle. As you’ll see, we’ve submitted more than one objection, and there’s more to come.