Save Twickenham Riverside

With the Save Our Riverside - RUG - Friends of Twickenham Riverside Alternative Schemes, much is made of the willingness of a few members of the community to take over the poolsite and convert it for public use. This is despite the site being desperately overgrown, and the pool itself being full of large pieces of heavy rubble, debris and rubbish, and the stipulations of the T1 brief.

As a near neighbour of the poolsite for over 30 years, who has been involved with the pool for the last decade and taken part in two and a half planning inquiries relating to it, who knows the site well and is very concerned about what happens there and how it will be managed, I would like more information on the group who propose to redevelop the poolsite and how they plan to do it. Or even if they have firm plans and the determination to carry them out, or if it's all a nice long wish list.

Therefore, could you answer the following:

Management:

1. What is the group's constitution?

2. Is the group a charity? What are its articles of association?

3. What is the management structure?

4. What are the qualifications of each member of the committee to run a redevelopment scheme?

5. What are their ages? Do they have the commitment to engage in the scheme for the years it would take?

6. Who would sign major contracts, and be liable for all insurances and compensation?

7. What structure is there to manage the group's finances?

8. Does any of the group have experience with large-scale, long-term fundraising?

9. What consultants and experts would they or could they call on?

10. What guaranteed undertakings are in place from people and sponsors?

11. Who are the scheme's champions? On what terms? What contributions would they make? For how long?

12. Is there a business plan?

 

 

Planning

1. Has the Council's planning department been approached about the likelihood of obtaining planning permission?

2. Is there a cohesive plan for the whole site?

3. Would a landscape architect and a building architect be used, and how would they be paid?

4. What are the designs, including the perspective views?

5. What would each stage of the plans consist of?

6. What would be the time frame for each stage? How would it be paid for?

7. How would the consultation process be managed?

8. How would the back of King Street be effectively screened?

Demolition/rebuilding

1. How would rubble and detritus be removed? By whom?

2. What would be done with the solid concrete pool basin? How? By whom?

3. Who would be safety officers, site supervisors, project managers? Would they be paid?

4. How would traffic be managed during heavy works?

5. How would the community be advised of disruption?

    

 

Fund raising

1. Is there a comprehensive short, medium and long-term fund-raising strategy?

2. Is there a complete list of pledged donors, with firm amounts?

3. Is there a list of fund-granting authorities, charities and public bodies that have been approached or will be approached?

4. Has any funding body expressed an interest? If so, for how much?

Long term

1. How would security of the site be managed?

2. How would it be used in the winter months, and in the evenings, and at night?

3. Would it have to be gated and closed off? Would all of the Embankment be closed off at night? Have the emergency services been consulted?

4. What financing is available in perpetuity to manage the site, its maintenance and upkeep?

5. What are the contingency plans disunity in the group, loss of support?

6. What are the contingency plans for outright failure?

 

I look forward to a full response.

The Editor
Richmond & Twickenham Times

18th March 2009 

Dear Sir

Following the Councils exhibition last week, in which they had invited three developers to submit schemes for the Twickenham riverside, it was obvious that the glossy drawings could not disguise the fact that all three were for the total development of this site.

The three schemes had been floated in upon the Council's direction by developers who, of course, would love to get their hands on such a valuable piece of our unique riverside.

We the local people were blandly being asked to say which one of the three schemes we preferred. This amazing arrogance of the Council is intolerable.  Its autocratic disregard for any other than its own idea of what must be on this site is appalling. 

The small courageous exhibition of some alternative ideas for this precious and neglected site is on show for two more weeks at the River Café on the riverside.  This exhibition has had a great deal of local support from the public who do not want the Twickenham riverside to be developed.  They have been asking for this heritage site to be cared for and to remain as open garden space with a café, playground and a town square for events, gatherings, ballet, ice skating or other leisure pursuits.  In such a many-talented borough, all this is eminently achievable.

Last night a splendid public meeting, held at the local St Marys Hall, was packed with informed and furious locals adamantly against the councils imminent signing away of our heritage, by a contract with a commercial developer.   

For future generations we must hold onto this precious site;  it is not with the first brick laid that the site will be gone forever, it is with the fast approaching moment when the council signs it away. 

Although they are democratically voted in as our council for the legislative term, they have no right to give away our heritage land to a developer for something that is obviously not wanted by the majority and will have far-reaching consequences for generations to come. 

To find out more please visit www.saveourriverside.co.uk 

Yours faithfully 

Maurice Broughton

The Council's exhibition starts on Monday 9th March at 2pm in the Civic Centre. It runs through till Friday and is open until 8pm each evening, 10 - 4 Saturday and 11-3 Sunday. It is crucial that you visit this and mark the questionnaire "none of the above". On Tuesday March 10 at 7 pm in York House there is the Co-ordination, Finance and Performance Commission meeting to scrutinize the Business Plan for the River Centre.  We have slotted in several speakers, who will doubtless complain about the failure to disclose the full Business Plan. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Dear Save Our Riverside Group,

Thank-you for your further comments (submitted to the SOR web-site on 18^th December 2008) on both the Environment Trust's Business Plan for the Twickenham River Centre (of October 2008) and my responses to your original comments (submitted to the SOR web-site on 17^th November 2008).  I am responding in the capacity of building manager for the River Centre and the main author of the Business Plan.  I have attempted to provide answers to each of your questions below.  Each question is provided in italics with my numbered response to it. 

Q1.      Why has the whole plan not been put into the public domain?

A1       The Trust has been undertaking business planning for the River Centre for the last two years and these plans continue to evolve as the project develops.  The Trust produces a detailed Business Plan at regular intervals and this is provided to the Council (as well as the Trust’s advisors) for discussion and development.  The latest detailed plan for the Council was produced in September 2008 and runs to some 62 pages.  In October 2008 the Trust produced a summary version of this Business Plan for the public, running to some 32 pages and covering every part of the detailed plan.  This plan is available for anyone to see at www.rivercentre.org.uk and the Trust welcomes comments on this plan.

The detailed plan is a working document subject to constant update as the project evolves. It is essential that any organisation developing a project is provided with some space in which to develop its ideas and proposals before these are subject to public scrutiny.  This is normal practice with any project development.  The Trust will continue to provide the public with information about the project through the River Centre web-site.  The Business Plan will be updated for the public at regular intervals as the project develops.

Q2       Should the plan include: Mission Statement; Operational Statement; Cash Flow; Operating Budget?

A2       Thank you for these suggestions.  We shall consider including each of these components within the next version of the plan.