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.

Pictures 1 | Pictures 2 | 1980-2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004  | 2005  | 2006  | 2007  | Letters | Contact us | Reports | Useful links | Council links

About the Twickenham River Centre:

See below for details. 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. If you'd like to go on our mailing list, please use the form below to send us your email address. For letters and comments on the River Centre, please see the Letters page.

LATEST:

5 October 2008 - Twickenham Embankment Consultation - 6 October to 24 October 2008

The Council is holding a consultation on the upgrade and improvement of the riverside embankment from Water Lane to Church Lane (NOT including the section in front of the poolsite). Funds for this work have already been allocated, from the Council and London's Arcadia. Plans are on view at the Civic Centre, 44 York Street, Twickenham.

Details can be found here, along with the consultation on the proposed Eel Pie Legends memorial

2 October 2008 - NEW River Centre update

Click here for the September 2008 report. (.pdf, 4 pages, 1.2MB) MAY BE SLOW TO DOWNLOAD - it's a big file

With the introduction "A Window on the River" by Sir David Attenborough, the report sets out what the River Centre will be used for, some notes on the Riverside development, a progress report on where we are now, and the team behind the River Centre, who are already active in the community.

For a print copy of the Report, please phone the Environment Trust on 020 8891 5455 or email office@environmenttrust.co.uk

2 August 2008 - Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames AGM: Video

The Trust's AGM was held at the Orangery at Ham House on 19 June. The highlight of the evening was the discussion between River Centre Patron Sir David Attenborough and Bamber Gascoigne about the Thames, living in Richmond, and the proposed Twickenham River Centre.

Sir David Attenborough and Bamber Gascoigne

Video of the discussion of the River Centre (with contributions by Joe Pecorelli and Angela Kidner): Duration: 6 minutes, 30 seconds. A broadband internet connection is essential to view this. Windows Media Player (WMV), 18MB Apple Quicktime compatible (MP4), 18MB Technical facilities and editing kindly donated by Linkvision and Graham Skelton.

Click here for a brief report on the meeting.

16 June 2008 - River Centre update

Click here for the latest River Centre brochure, with news and the results of our survey at the public consultation in February (.pdf, 1 page, 111KB).

15 April 2008 - Council Cabinet gives go-ahead on poolsite development brief

Council Website: Twickenham Riverside Regeneration (updated July 2008)

On 14 April, the Cabinet voted unanimously to go ahead with the development brief process for the poolsite. The draft development brief provides the River Centre, the play area, public open space and enabling housing development, with the majority of the parking moved from the Embankment to the service road behind the site. Some work remains to be done on the brief, and members of the public and some councillors expressed concern at the massing and amount of the proposed housing: the enabling development has to be kept to a minimum.

Nine members of the public spoke at the meeting, four from the River Centre project team, four local residents who are generally in favour of the development (subject to massing worries being addressed), and one opposing. Three councillors also spoke, about the site in general, the need to revive the town centre and fill not only the empty shops but also the empty office space, and the educational benefits of the River Centre for the whole community.

The Council Officer's report to the meeting is here (.pdf, 18 pages, 173KB) with appendices showing a projected layout (.pdf, 2 pages, 159KB) and a summary of the consultations (.pdf, 14 pages, 3.7MB, slow download). As soon as the draft development brief becomes available online, we will link to it.

Council press release

See also, on the LibDems' website, Twickenham Riverside: the Council's principal development objectives

9 Mar 2008 - River Centre Sponsors

Click here for a complete list of the sponsors for the River Centre, including the groups and individuals who are contributing their support and are actively involved in making the Centre happen.

13 - 17 Feb 2008 - Poolsite public consultation

The Council, supported by the Environment Trust, held a 5-day consultation at York House on the proposed development brief for the poolsite, followed by a public meeting held by the Twickenham Society, the York House Society, the River Thames Society and other amenity groups to discuss the proposals in St Mary's Church on 18 Feb. More information on the proposals is here on the Council's website.

The exhibition included displays on the River Centre (for details, see below), and a questionnaire - if you haven't completed one, please download it here (.pdf, 2 pages, 92Kb), and give us your feedback on what you'd like to see in the Centre.

Twickenham River Centre conceptual sketch. To see the complete display drawing, click here for medium-size and here for BIG Courtesy Clive Chapman architects, © Clive Chapman

What is the River Centre? What will it offer? A centre for education about the river and broader environment, climate change and sustainability for people of all ages and abilities, provided by Richmond Environment Network, Thames Explorer Trust, River Thames Boat Project, Richmond's Biodiversity Action Plan, Thames Landscape Strategy, and other organisations. A 'one-stop shop' offering practical information and news about the River Thames, sustainability and climate change, along with exhibits by the Thames Landscape Strategy and organisations with responsibility for the Thames, and displays giving information on local water-based activities and clubs. A hub for environmental volunteering, a home for the Environment Trust, BTCV Richmond and Richmond Environment Network, a base for other environmental voluntary organisations, giving them access to mentoring, advice and equipment, and a centre for volunteer training. A home for HANDS (Help a Neighbour in Distress), a charity providing the elderly and housebound with support and opportunities for social interaction, and Richmond Volunteer Centre, matching individuals willing to give their time with organisations looking for support. Multipurpose spaces for the activities of all of the above and for many other local organisations, such as Twickenham Rowing Club, and events, such as the Twickenham Festival, as well as a children's playground, public toilets and a café open to everybody. Permanent displays about Twickenham's river heritage, linking it to river-based sites in the upper Thames, such as the Henley River & Rowing Museum, and the lower Thames, such as the Docklands Museum. A boathouse, providing public boat hire, maintenance and repair, practical boatbuilding courses, water safety training, rowing for the young and those with disabilities, work experience for young people, and small boat storage, with a waterfront pontoon to improve access to Twickenham from the river, encourage river use and enable a ferry service linking with Richmond and Teddington. All in a flagship sustainable building, showcasing 'green' construction methods and wider sustainability.

Concept diagram of the River Centre Courtesy Clive Chapman Architects, © Clive Chapman

What could the building be like? The above diagrams by architect Clive Chapman's practice show how the Centre could work, using the way the lower levels of the poolsite flood at high tides, and the 3 metre slope on the site from the Service Road to the Embankment. Entrance from the Embankment at the lower level gives access to the boat building area, and the storage for the shallop Jubilant, plus the kiosk for boat rental on the river, and public toilets and changing areas for river activities. A timber ramp curves around the building and leads to the next level, the entrance lobby and exhibition space, which looks out over the public open space and down to the river This leads into the café and restaurant area, overlooking the playground - moved into place from the far end of the site on one side. On the other side is the education area, two flexibly built classrooms for accommodating school parties and teaching groups. Above this, accessible by stairs or the lift, is the lookout space, with views up and down the river. At the top of the building, at the back of the site, are offices for environmentally-related volunteering groups.

3 Jan 2008 - Environment Trust: River Centre Update

23 Nov 2007 - On the Council website: Twickenham Riverside development brief exhibition

11 Nov 2007 - Briefing on Twickenham River Centre

With an introduction by Sir David Attenborough, this two-page note: sets out how the River Centre will breathe new life into the heart of Twickenham; shows what could be the design for the Centre; gives a brief background on the poolsite and the work of the Environment Trust; tells how the Centre will be funded, provides a detailed description of what the Centre will offer. Download the .pdf here (2 pages, 307KB)

Oct 2007 - Sir David Attenborough becomes Patron of the Twickenham River Centre

Sir David Attenborough on Twickenham Riverside Photo courtesy Tricia de Courcy Ling	Twickenham River Centre: Breathing new life into the heart of Twickenham! The River Centre is planned to be part of the public asset in the redevelopment of the old swimming pool, beside the Thames in Twickenham. The Centre will be a flagship eco building, where people of all ages and backgrounds can find out about the river, the environment and sustainability. The Centre will have a café open to everybody, public toilets and an updated and expanded children's playground. There will be facilities for boat hire, with a pontoon on the river, openly accessible to the public. Opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to gain hands-on experience of the river environment and ecology on the foreshore or afloat. The River Centre project is being developed by the Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames, led by Project Leader Angela Kidner. The Trust is delighted that Sir David Attenborough, a long-time resident of the Borough, has agreed to be the patron of the Centre.
Clive Chapman explains the River Centre model Photo courtesy Yvonne Hewett	Sir David says, 'Fighting the impact of climate change is perhaps the greatest challenge of this century. It's a matter for individual responsibility as well as government action, and by making it possible for everyone - particularly young people - to recognise this, we can go some way towards preventing the situation worsening. Understanding local eco-systems such as the River Thames through activity and study is a brilliant way to bring home the message. 'The River Centre will be a focus for understanding and enjoying what the river can provide, while encouraging a sense of personal responsibility for its future. I am very pleased to be a part of this innovative project, which brings together local groups and national organisations to work towards ensuring a sustainable future.'
River Centre Background With a track record in environmental conservation and education and nearly 25 years of experience in finding ways to open up the borough's heritage to the community, the Environment Trust, as leader of a consortium of river-related organisations and river users, was selected through the Twickenham Challenge competition as the council's partner to oversee the community-use element of the Twickenham riverside development. The Environment Trust and its partners are committed to providing a distinctive and sustainable community-focused building of high architectural quality as part of the regeneration of the Twickenham riverside area.	Sir David and some of the Project Team Photo courtesy Tricia de Courcy Ling
Funding the River Centre The site for the River Centre will be leased from the council at a peppercorn rent. The developer of the overall site will provide the shell for the building. The Environment Trust will be responsible for the fitout of the building and, through a management organisation or charity, for the running of the River Centre when it is open. City Bridge Trust has provided £91,000 in funding for project development costs over the next three years. Further funding will be sought from other charitable trusts, the Landfill Communities Fund and local donors.

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 and 2007 for events in those years.

Related Links:

"The Public Consultations" - Jack Betteridge's analysis from the 2001 consultations, still relevant


On this site you will also find:

To go on our mailing list:
If you would like to receive email alerts when this website is updated with news and information about the River Centre, please fill in the form. The first two boxes (marked *) must be completed. 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.

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: