PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING As you’re no doubt aware on 07 March the Council’s planning committee voted along party lines to approve the Council’s own planning application despite a huge number of objections and extensive evidence that their plans failed to deliver the vast majority of their TAAP* objectives. Perhaps the most significant objection came from the Environment Agency who advised that the car park flood defences were inadequate to meet the ever-increasing risk of flooding. They recommended a 2-metre-high passive flood barrier along the Embankment and up Water Lane to protect the underground car park and foundations from flooding. The Council ignored this recommendation, probably because it requires a redesign of their plans and the submission of a revised planning application. If you witnessed the recent periods of flooding on the Embankment with cars actually drowning alongside the Council’s planned car park entrance, driving on the pavement and/or driving the wrong way up Water Lane to avoid the floods you will have been as surprised as we were by the Council’s indifference. CALL IN As predicted, the planning application was called-in by the Environment Agency and a number of local individuals and groups (including us). Below is the feedback we received from the Planning Casework Manager: 'I understand the planning committee were minded to approve the proposal at the meeting yesterday evening. The application will now be referred by the local authority to the Secretary of State, under Town and Country Planning (Consultation (England) Direction 2009), to determine if it should be called in for his determination. We will of course contact you further in due course.' Currently, it is still in the hands of the Planning Casework Manager who is compiling a report, and as far as we're aware no decision has been made on whether the Secretary of State will determine it or not. In practice, this means that the planning application is on hold and that the Council cannot proceed with it. Even if it is approved before the local elections on Thursday, a change in Council leadership will result in the plans being halted/stopped while the whole situation is reviewed. ELECTION ADVICE As you know, we're a single interest group and have presented the views below based solely on achieving the best outcome for the regeneration of Twickenham Riverside. Of course, we appreciate that you have many other issues to consider, and the future of our potentially beautiful riverside is not your only concern. Our Statement The Twickenham Riverside Park Team has always made a point of being avowedly non-political in its approach to the issue of the development of Twickenham Riverside. We are a broad church, open to involvement from people from all parties (or none). We are entirely independent from any of the parties standing in the local elections taking place this Thursday May 3rd. However, we have reflected on this and feel that on the single issue of preventing the current plans for the riverside going ahead we should make a recommendation about the elections to the many people who share our viewpoint. Clearly the current Conservative administration has not listened to us or the many who expressed views opposing their scheme and planning application. The party has been determined to whip in its members behind the scheme although we know that there is not unanimity within the party that this is the right way forward. We have worked actively with the local opposition parties to get them to the point where they have taken a clear and unequivocal position against the current proposals and to agree that, if elected, they will call an immediate halt to any further work on those proposals. The Greens and the Liberal Democrats in particular have stated that they will use the material available from the previous consultations to commission a fresh brief for the rapid production of new proposals. This will be based on the whole site (including The Embankment, Water and Wharf Lanes, and the King Street property bordering it) and will deliver a town square and other open public space, remove parking from the riverside and ensure that any development is of a scale and quality suitable for this precious and important site. It will include a reasonable level of affordable housing. We are aware that the Greens and Lib Dems have arrived at an agreement not to compete against one another in this election. In six wards the Lib Dems are fielding just two candidates. In these wards only, the Greens will field one candidate. This allows people who wish to vote Lib Dem or Green to do so without the risk of damaging the election prospects of either party. It is clear to us that the only way of stopping the Conservative proposals for the riverside is by removing the party from office at this election. It is our view that to achieve this voters should use their three votes to vote for the Lib Dems and Greens (where they’re standing) We are grateful that the Labour Party has opposed the riverside plans. However, we aren’t convinced that their candidates have realistic prospects of being elected in any ward. Voting for them could undermine the Lib Dem and Green vote and let in the Conservative candidates “by the back door”. We would therefore urge Labour voters to vote tactically and support the Lib Dem and Green Candidates. We hope for a positive outcome on the 3rd May that will prevent the Conservative plans going ahead. We will then concentrate on holding the new Council to account in whatever form it takes and in advising and helping it follow a proper and purposeful process to get the riverside development Twickenham deserves. Together, we can Bring Down the Water Lane Wall / Council Carbuncle, and give Twickenham a #ParkNotCarPark. Best wishes from The Twickenham Riverside Park Team *TAAP = Twickenham Area Action Plan