Twickenham Riverside Development

Twickenham poolsite

Welcome to the Twickenham Riverside website, put together and maintained by local people who are concerned about the redevelopment of the old swimming baths beside the Thames, and working to support the planned River Centre.

CONTACT US |  1980-2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004  | 2005  | 2006  | 2007  |  2008  |  2009  |  Letters | Reports | Useful links | Council links



Clive Chapman's walkthrough shows how the redeveloped poolsite can look when it's completed.
 

About the Twickenham River Centre:

The River Centre will be a place where people of all ages can learn about the environment, the river and sustainability, learn to build a boat, fish or row, and watch the world from a great café. Look here for more information on its features and what it can provide to the community.


If you'd like to go on our mailing list, please use the form below to send us your email address.

 

Video: Sir David Attenborough and Bamber Gascoigne talking about the River Centre
Video: Sir David Attenborough and Bamber Gascoigne talking about the River Centre, on YouTube and Google Video.

You can also view the video on this website.


LATEST:

Poolsite in the picture

Twickenham poolsite from the air  

Twickenham Poolsite from the air - showing how little of the site is actually in use, and its surroundings. The Jubilee Gardens play area is on the left. The three-panelled white patch is the roof of the café. Approximately four-fifths of the site is fenced off and empty.

Click to enlarge the picture.

     
Green space in Twickenham  

Green Space in Twickenham - showing how much of Twickenham is already green space, and indicating the area that would be public open space in the projected poolsite development.

The areas across the river, Ham Lands and the grounds of Ham House, are shown but not highlighted.

Click to enlarge the picture.


29 October 2009 - Riverside Development Delay

On 20th October at a full meeting of the council, leader Serge Lourie stated that the council would be deferring a decision on the signature of a contract with the developer for the poolsite until summer 2010, in order to have time to examine the developer's accounts up to September of this year.

Jenny Pearce, Chair of the Environment Trust, says:

The Environment Trust for Richmond on Thames is the lead organisation for Twickenham River Centre, part of the Twickenham Riverside project. The Trust has been kept fully informed by Richmond Council of developments with respect to the programme for the Twickenham Riverside site.

The Trust is disappointed about the delay to the project programme, as announced by Richmond Council, which means that the contract with the developer will not be signed until next summer. Nevertheless, the Trust remains committed to developing the River Centre with the Council and the Trust's network of partners. We support a cautious approach so that we will in due course be able to assure our members, and our partners in the project, of its financial stability; and we recognise that it will take time for the Council to undertake a thorough examination of the developer's accounts up to September 2009.

The Trust will use this interim period to further develop its programme of environmental education, working with established partners such as Thames Landscape Strategy and Thames Explorer Trust, as well as new partners which include Kingston University and Capel Manor College.

The Trust is already providing environmental programmes to local schools, as well as short courses for all ages. The Trust will be developing a broad range of education, apprenticeship and employment training courses with its partners over the next 12 months. This is in line with its plans to have a vibrant and wide-ranging programme of education and community-based activities for operation out of the River Centre on its completion.

Jenny Pearce
Chair, Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames


Please see our History 1980-2001 page for background and the details of developments proposed for the pool site prior to December, 2001; and the pages for 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 for events in those years. The picture archive from the partial demolition of the old pool building is at Pictures 1 and Pictures 2.


On this site you will also find:

1.

A history of attempts to redevelop the derelict swimming baths site - with key events from 1980-2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

2.

The October 1999 Report of the River Use Working Party, looking at the site, its surroundings, and possible redevelopment options.

3.

The October 1999 Report of the Traffic and Parking Working Party, looking at the impact of the development on traffic flow and parking.

4.

The Public Consultations. Jack Betteridge's analysis of the consultations, the methods and the results, in 2000 and 2001. July 2001

5.

The April 2000 Report of the River Centre Working Party. This interim document was delivered to the Council on 13 April.

6.

Rethink on the Riverside - prepared for the Twickenham Society Group of Local Societies and Individuals: Introduction and Full Report (.pdf, 16 pages, 192kb). Sept 2002.

7.

Twickenham Society Group's Recommendations for the Poolsite Development Brief - background and briefing on traffic, parking, and difficult areas. .pdf, 7 pages, 90KB. August, 2007.

8.

Environment Trust's Summary Business Plan for the River Centre (.pdf, 31 pages, 335KB) 4 November 2008.
Update on the Business Plan (.pdf, 9 pages, 189KB) 10 March 2009

9.

Environment Trust's Update on the River Centre Business Plan (.pdf, 9 pages, 189KB) 10 March 2009

10.

The Big Questions about the Alternative Schemes (2 pages, 90KB .pdf)

To give us input about the River Centre or to go on our mailing list: flying bird
If you want to make suggestions for the River Centre, or you would like to receive email alerts when this website is updated, please fill in the form. The first two boxes (marked *) must be completed. To be added to our mailing list, please include your postal address. Your message will remain confidential, unless you permit us to publish your comments by checking the box at the bottom of the form. In that case your name, but not your email address, will be included.

*Your Name:  
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Contact Details
You can contact the Environment Trust on 020 8891 5455 or e-mail rivercentre@environmenttrust.co.uk. If you have any problems with this website, please email riverside@rivercentre.org.uk


You may also be interested in the information provided about this, and related topics, on the following websites:

Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames  
Council Website: Twickenham Riverside Regeneration  
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Council  
The Council Cabinet Members, with contact details  
Look up your Councillor  
Council Committee Meetings and Agendas  
The Environment Agency: Climate Change  
Environment Agency: Thames Estuary 2100; Planning for Future Flood Risk Management .pdf, 1.8Mb, 14 pages  
Government Office for London  
Government Office for London - Planning  
HANDS - Help a Neighbour in Distress  
Planning Inspectorate  
REN - Richmond Environment Network  
River Thames Society  
Science Projects (Discovery Centres)  
St Margaret's Estate Residents Association  
Strawberry Hill Residents' Association  
 
 
Thames Path Online Guide  
To the River: pictorial tour of the riverside  
To the River: Eel Pie Island  
The Twickenham Museum  
Twickenham Online  
Twickenham Riverside Terrace  
The Twickenham Society
Twickenham Town Centre Management Board - what's on in Twickenham
York House Society
 
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Page last amended 6/2/10. All photographs and text on this site are © Twickenham Riverside, unless otherwise stated.