The planning inspector, Peter Rose, on 9 November 2023, ruled in favour of Richmond Council following the public inquiry into the Compulsory Purchase Order decision concerning Jubilee Gardens, Twickenham.
The inquiry was held between 6 and 27 June 2023 in Twickenham, with a site visit on 3 July 2023.
The inspector said in his report,
“The Scheme is likely to make Twickenham a far more attractive place to visit and enjoy, and that, in turn, is also likely to add to the vitality and strength of the local economy.
“The TRT and other objectors have suggested that upgrade of the existing open space without reconfiguration would be a better alternative. No such proposal was before the inquiry but any thinking along those lines would fail to realise the far more widespread benefits of the Scheme, not just to users of the open space, but to the riverside and to the town centre more generally, and to other stakeholders. The Scheme is not just about open space, but necessarily reflects a wider regenerative agenda.”
He adds further on in his report;
“The key conclusion I draw from the inquiry is that whilst some detailed aspects remain to be addressed, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the principle of the Scheme or with the Order or with the Authority’s proposed way forward.
“The quality of the Scheme draws from its distinctive relationship to the river. It seeks to embrace and harness that relationship through creation of a far safer and far more attractive riverside environment, and one in which both open space and the wider public realm would be promoted to the fore.
“Open space and the exciting untapped environmental potential of the river would no longer be marginalised and rendered subservient to vehicles and to vehicle parking. Additional to that would be the enhanced relationship the Scheme would facilitate between the town centre and the riverside and, more generally, the considerable housing and economic and other benefits to be delivered.”
The conclusions above reiterate how important the approved development will be to Twickenham.
Gareth Roberts, leader of Richmond Council, went on X to say,
“It’s taken a long time to get to this stage and has unfortunately been a now that this cost to the local taxpayer.
“I really hope now that those who oppose the scheme put their objections to one side and join us to deliver what people told us overwhelmingly what it is they want, which is a regenerated heart of Twickenham.”
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