We're sorry it’s been so long since our last update. We’ve been waiting and waiting to report on progress of the Design Brief for the Twickenham Riverside site. But we still don’t actually know where the Site Boundaries are!

In our Christmas Update we said: ‘We believe that the full site must include the whole of the DJG area and all the surrounding roads. But the Council haven't confirmed what the full site boundaries are yet.’ No change there then.

Since Christmas we’ve attended two Stakeholder Group meetings, but other than submitting our Objectives and Principles for the riverside development (see our October ‘Brief Update’), and an unexpected workshoppy session, we haven’t got much to report from the meetings.

The GOOD NEWS is that the Design Panel has been formed and they've met once or twice (it’s all a bit secret). The panel looks promising - it comprises 4 councillors, a RIBA Adviser, two Local Residents with architectural experience, and a Stakeholder Group representative (unfortunately he’s a riverfront car park advocate from EPI). The Design Panel is currently compiling the Design Competition Brief under the guidance of their RIBA Adviser. The timeline for this is ‘End of February/early March’, but please don’t hold your breath.

The BAD NEWS is that there are no Design Panel meeting minutes, and no feedback to the Stakeholder Group of the Proposed Site or the Draft Brief. None. Sadly, we’re in the dark. Apparently, there are technical/legal reasons why the draft brief can’t be shared. But we really don’t understand why the Council can’t confirm what the site boundaries are. We’ve presented our proposed site boundary to the Council, and more recently Twickenham Alive published an identical proposed site (see image above). Come on El Brute, it’s your turn now?

We asked if the RIBA Adviser could speak directly to the Stakeholder Group, but according to the Council Leader ‘RIBA don’t do that granular level of engagement’! Surely groups such as TRPT, Twickenham Lido, EPI Association and Twick Town Business Association who represent many thousands of supporters and hundreds of businesses are more than mere granules?

On a more positive note, the Council have finally decided to follow our advice and conduct a Traffic, Parking & Servicing Survey to study what vehicles actually get up to on the riverside site. We all know that most of them use it to access/exit the riverfront parking, with a small proportion servicing local businesses and EPI. We expect the survey to confirm this, and to support the removal of The Embankment parking and road. We recognise that a small amount of residents’ parking is required (but not along the precious riverfront), and that EPI and business servicing is essential. We’d like to see the Council advising the design competition architects on the parking needs for the site, along with how much parking will be relocated off-site. FYI, we’ve sent the Council our own detailed Traffic, Parking & Servicing Report that shows how our pedestrianised riverfront proposal can improve all aspects of the riverside.

So the million dollar question - WHAT WILL BE IN THE BRIEF?

We've heard on social media that the Council want to remove all parking from the riverfront and ‘ideally’ the road as well. We've heard unofficially that they intend to keep at least as much public open space as there is now to create a new town square and riverside park. We understand they want to see riverside activities (boathouses, pontoon etc), a café & restaurant, playground, community space, some housing (without parking), improved cycling provision, and no additional retail space. We've also heard their emphasis will be on ‘quality architecture’ rather than ‘traditional’ style, that there will be no specific height restrictions however buildings will need to respect the surroundings, and that they're keen to have as wide a variety of design concepts as possible. These are all encouraging noises, but obviously the proof will be in the briefing.

Meanwhile…we’d love hear your comments, which can be posted at the bottom of this update. Alternatively, you can email us at twickriversidepark@gmail.com

Click for LBRUT details of the Design Panel and Stakeholder Group