new hotel at hampton court means loss of fishing

It's a good step forward, but don't get too excited just yet;
The developers still have planning permission for their hotel/flats development too.

Ed Randall wrote:

It's a good step forward, but don't get too excited just yet;
The developers still have planning permission for their hotel/flats development too.

Plus we have to be careful that if the park does go ahead, that they don't encroach the non-fishing status a little further downstream on to Cigarette Island... I'm just saying like!


Richard

update::::

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/elmbridgenews/9911523.Fisticuffs_at_Jolly_Boatman_council_meeting/

Another update...
http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/9947858.Jolly_Boatman_conditions_approved/?ref=mr

e-bulletin Hampton Court Rescue Campaign 14th Dec 2012

Conservative Councillors ignore meaningful objections and vote 'en bloc' to approve Piling at the Bridge.

Elmbridge Council's Northern Area Planning Sub-Committee met last Wednesday to discharge one of the 56 Planning Conditions attached to the planned Gladedale development opposite Hampton Court Palace. Condition 13 was important as it concerned the 'Protection of a listed Building - Hampton Court Bridge'.

In order to protect the listed bridge from the impact of 5 months of Piling and the excavation of the 'Jolly Boatman' for the double-storey underground car park, EBC's Planning Condition required that express consent be given to allow Piling within an exclusion-zone of 30 metres from the Bridge.

The discussions lasted over an hour. The Committee was shown the clearest evidence that the listed building fell within the 30 metre exclusion-zone. Molesey's Ward Councillors also pointed out the poor state of the listed retaining wall and the threat of landslip from the close-proximity Piling, heavy Plant machinery and HGV traffic using the Access Road during the excavation and construction.

The meeting was informed that a comprehensive bridge inspection report, commissioned by Surrey County Council had begun in October and was still in progress. Even though the results of the Survey are incomplete and the 'baseline' results are yet to be published, Officers urged Councillors to proceed with discharging this Condition. Similarly in reference to the riverbank, the Environment Agency, naturally consulted on 'in-river' works was not consulted.

With so much in doubt and key issues fudged, it is disappointing for HCRC to report that some Councillors seemed completely satisfied.

The ten strong Committee was made up of five Conservatives and five Resident's Association Councillors. All of the Committee's Conservative Councillors, from Walton (Ambleside, North and South) and Hersham (North), confidently gave their approval to the Condition. The four Residents Assoc. Councillors voted against approval and the Chairman abstained.

The background to Elmbridge's Planning determination for the Hampton Court Station site is set by Government Planning Policy. It advises that sensitive, high-profile sites such as this one opposite Hampton Court Palace, should be afforded - 'special regard'. HCRC sat through Wednesday's NAPSC charade and listened to Elmbridge Planning Officers and Conservative Councillors deliver the absolute opposite.

The next NAPSC meeting is on the 7th January 2013 and in an effort to have all 56 Conditions approved by June 2013 (the expiry of the Application), eight more will be presented on that Agenda.

Despite the disappointing news, HCRC will continue to scrutinise the progress of the Conditions very carefully.


HCRC thanks you for your continuing support and interest.

Mary Brook

HCRC Communications


(You can Tweet: @HCRCMary or visit

hamptoncourtrescuecampaign.com

FOUND THIS IN LOCAL PAPER

From the HCRC


I will try and get down

Dear friends,

The local Press have asked for a photo-shoot tomorrow (Weds) at Hampton Court Station to illustrate the story of the Station's plight.
I wonder if you'll be free to stroll over there for a 3pm photographer and join HCRC-ers to make up our numbers.

Please spread the invitation and bring friends and neighbours if you can.

Thanks for all your warm support and help.

Mary Brook
@HCRC

got council coming around tomorrow to try and stop me floor boards from squiking , when i walk on them, so might not be able to make that one

Just found this



http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2129227_jolly_boatman_railway_station_plans_rejected

From Hampton Court Rescue Campaign:
Dear All,

A fuller bulletin will follow but simply for speed, a few lines to inform you of the results of last night's crucial Planning Meeting at Elmbridge Council.

HCRC is delighted to report that the Planning Application for the 'partial-demolition of Hampton Court Station', was refused on the Chairman's casting vote.

The 'Travel Plan', which outlines proposals for Traffic Management around the new scheme, was also refused, almost unanimously, bar the vote of Conservative Cllr John Sheldon, Hersham South. We are all thrilled with this result.

This is short notice, but there will be a Press photo-shoot tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1pm in front of Hampton Court Station. If you are able to join in, bringing wide-smiles, we would be very glad to see you.

More than ever, thank you for your continued support and warm wishes.

From Hampton Court Rescue Campaign:

NEWSFLASH.....NEWSFLASH.....NEWSFLASH

Elmbridge Councillors give a RED-STOP-SIGNAL to Hampton Court Station's part-demolition.

HCRC is celebrating! We can report that the inexorable progress of the 'Jolly Boatman' development.....is halted.

On 18th February, Elmbridge Councillors of the Planning Committee were asked to review an Application to partially-demolish Hampton Court Station. The proposals required Conservation Area consent to allow for the destruction of parts of the 'locally-listed' building designed by the renowned Victorian Railway architect, Sir William Tite. The valued heritage of the Victorian Station was to be sacrificed to make way for Gladedale's now infamous house-building and Hotel development.

The public's response to the Demolition Application was unprecedented. 900 letters of objection were sent to Elmbridge's Planning Officer opposing the proposals, not just from the UK, but from around the world. This time, bolstered by the overwhelming volume of opposition, Councillors on the Planning Committee rejected the Planning Officer's recommendation to permit the Application. In a very close result and greeted by loud applause from the public gallery, the demolition Application was refused by a single vote, 5 to 4. The Councillors' decision was significant and far-reaching, because without the Station's partial demolition, Gladedale's wider development, approved by Elmbridge in 2008, could not be progressed.
HCRC's Co-chair Prof. Bryan Woodriff remarked " Given the sensitivity of the historic Station and our diminishing Railway heritage, this last minute decision is brave and very welcomed"

The jeering and cheering continued in the Council chamber as Councillors judged the Application for the development's accompanying Travel Plan. Hampton Court Bridge, already a well known traffic bottle-neck was the subject of heated discussions that exposed some serious shortcomings of the proposed new Highways layout. Councillors complained that the Plan's designers, Surrey CC's Transport Planning Dept. had been able to have a series of radical changes ratified by EBC Officers, without any consideration by the travelling public or consultation with residents.

Furious Molesey Resident Assoc. Ward Councillor, Ian Donaldson remarked that since 2009, when Officers signed-off the Traffic Plan in its binding S106 agreement, 'Four and a half years have gone by and still no consultation" adding that "Residents, road-rail-users, local businesses and even us Ward Councillors have been ignored"
The Chair of the Planning Committee also declared
"excluding the A3, this is the busiest stretch of road in the Borough.... that imposes a high standard. Any reasonable person would question whether the Travel Plan was 'fit for purpose'"

Councillors agreed that the imposition of the new layout at Hampton Court Station would have far-reaching affects, in Elmbridge Borough and beyond. The Developer's suggestion that during the construction phase Hampton Court's Rail-users could find alternative parking at Esher and Surbiton Stations, was simply laughed at. The public gallery again erupted with applause as the Travel Plan was convincingly rejected, this time by all but one Councillor, John Sheldon from Hersham South.

After the decision, in a later BBCRadio interview aired on Wednesday 20th Feb., HCRC's Ray Townsend explained:
Click this link https://youtu.be/hQiA3qzt4qw

The impact of these two important refusals will test whether Gladedale's wider scheme is deliverable. The approval given in 2008 for the comprehensive redevelopment of the 'Jolly Boatman' and Station sites is due to expire in June, 2013. Whether Gladedale can return to EBC with renewed plans for the Station and Surrey County Council can agree a new Travel Plan within the three months that remain - is debatable.

Please may we use this opportunity to thank you for taking the trouble to send your letter of objection, it made all the difference. For the moment at least, 'People-power' has saved a piece of the country's Railway Heritage from the wrecking-ball.
With sincerest thanks for your continued support
Mary Brook
HCRC Communications

Tweet @HCRCMary

that's very good news for now.
all the pressure and nagging has helped..

John Barnes wrote:

that's very good news for now.
all the pressure and nagging has helped..

Worst ways (in general) all the fuss we, and others create, means delays and further expense. Take hydropower for example, it's unlikely we'll stop many of them being built, but we can make sure that they can't just build them as soon as say it...

Excellent news, it (The Jolly Boatman) is a fine example of people having a voice in making sure councils look hard and evaluate as to whether it would be to their advantage to allow such schemes to go ahead. Without people voicing objections, these things just tend to get pushed through, as there is no down side.


Richard

Came in this afternoon:

Dear Supporters,
I appreciate that this is very late notice but a situation has been developing during the day.

There is another NAPSC planning meeting tonight at 19.45 at Elmbridge Civic Centre.
On the Agenda tonight is the very interesting proposal for Sewage Waste from the development. Digging up Hampton Court Way to reach the next available sewer, outside Zizi's is on offer........more disruption!

Anyhow, the reason to ask you along tonight (if you can make it ) is the next issue on the Agenda, which will bring the refused Travel Plan back to the table.

For reasons we are not party to, this part of the evening is now to exclude the public and the Press. Whatever it is that is to be debated, will be decided in private by the Chair of NAPSC, Cllr Chris Sadler.
EBC CEO Rob Moran says
"To debate these matters in public could impact adversely on the robustness of the Council’s case. The decision was made by officers and it is legal to debate confidential/sensitive matters in private"

I'm sorry we cannot provide anything further - we simply cannot find out, but what HCRC is hoping for is a room full of interested people, who will be removed. Principally to make the point that the decision made by Officers that it is legal to debate confidential/sensitive matters in private, is not democratic and we cannot see EBC has grounds to impose this restriction.
Do you have the time to spare to attend the meeting tonight, and be turned away?

We hope so.

See you there for as long as it takes.
With best regards and thanks for your support.
Mary Brook
@HCRC

Hampton Court Rescue Campaign

IT'S A BLACK DAY FOR THE 'JOLLY BOATMAN'
- PALACE VIEWS GONE!

Since 2006 HCRC has campaigned against building on the 'Jolly Boatman' site because any development would simply obliterate Hampton Court's heritage views and spoil the historic landscape. The recent construction of 2.5 meter high, blacked-out hoardings around the site provides the proof (see attached). This is just the start, much worse is to come.

With flagrant disregard of its incomplete planning permission, Gladedale Homes, the developer of the 'Jolly Boatman' site has moved in at Hampton Court. Hoardings now encircle the land, behind which excavators are operating.
Elmbridge Council's Enforcement Officer says Gladedale's operation is a pre-commencement Archaeological investigation. This might suggest that Gladedale has reached full compliance of its 2008 Planning permission with its attached 56 Planning Conditions. This is not the case -
Please roll this Video as work begins
https://youtu.be/bMH-1UxXYj8

The start of works is premature. The Planning Inspector is still to hear an appeal by Gladedale, lodged against Elmbridge Council's decision to refuse Condition 18, the Travel Plan. This Hearing will take place at Elmbridge Civic Centre in Esher, on Wednesday 8th May 2013. HCRC has made representations to the Planning Inspector, and will be speaking at the Appeal hearing.

Besides this, Gladedale has remained suspiciously silent on its response to the Councillors' rejection of plans for the partial-demolition of Hampton Court Station, which generated an unprecedented 900 letters of objection to Planning Officers. With so much public-interest, HCRC will be watching closely for both Network Rail's and Gladedale's response, as the Conservation Area and a locally-listed building are directly involved.

We can assure supporters that there will be no 'let-up' with HCRC's campaigning. Gladedale's planning application expires in a few weeks, on June 16th. It's obvious watching the Planning meetings that Elmbridge is being leaned-on to get all the Conditions passed by that date. The Molesey Resident Councillors put up a good fight each time, but shamefully the Tory Councillors who continue to approve this development do not live in Wards close to Hampton Court, and are therefore unaccountable.

At least the Appeal on the 8th May will be the first opportunity for the Jolly Boatman application to be reviewed by a higher Planning Authority than Elmbridge's Officers... so please cross your fingers.


Open the link to our recent film, and please pass it on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q5GFsS4aIQ&feature=youtu.be

With thanks for your continued help and support.
Mary Brook
HCRC Communications
Please Tweet us @HCRCMary

just reading papers that have nothing to do with me

http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/10480219.Dismay_as_Jolly_Boatman_beats_planning_deadline_by_six_days/?ref=mr

this was always going to be a no win situation for the locals.
elmbridge council we say no more.
thinking of there pockets not the public.
feel sorry for all the campaigners for the hard work they
have done to try and contess it.
lets hope it does not mess up the fishing if anything..

And so another section on the banks of the Thames is devoured by private 'enterprise'...

It's a long list, and growing yearly.


Richard

Yes saw that mate, just goes to show how certain any council has to be in making a planning descision. No doubt the developer has very deep pockets and see huge profits so was willing to take them on.

e-update Hampton Court Rescue Campaign

Dear Dave Harvey

There’s bad news - and good news!

HCRC would like to thank everyone who took the time to come along to the Elmbridge Council Chamber on Monday afternoon in support of the first petition to the Elmbridge Local Committee. Your attendance was warmly appreciated.

The bad news - Annoyingly, we all made a big effort to turn up for a non-event.

The petition pressed SCC and EBC to address immediate road-safety concerns at Hampton Court Station resulting from the start of the Gladedale development. Given the seriousness of the issue, we expected questions and answers to follow Tony Nockles’ petition to the Councillors. Procedure instructs Members to register their interest to speak, in advance. For reasons none can fathom, Members failed to take up the opportunity to expand and promote discussion in the Chamber. We expected Councillors (certainly those from Molesey Wards) to have done this, but the issue progressed no further.

Now we are bound to wait until Committee’s judgement is handed down on 24th February 2014, just two weeks before the start of Phase 1 of Gladedale’s construction programme. The decision will follow consultations with SCC Highways Authority - the same Department that approved the flawed scheme originally. We hope that in the face of a known risk, SCCH will concede to the addition of a safe-crossing across Cigarette Island Lane and action its installation immediately. See why https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFOAn_KQth0

Now for the good news! It seems that Gladedale’s sell-off is no longer just a City rumour. This was announced by SKYNEWS while we were silent in the Council Chamber..... Please click on the link.

http://news.sky.com/story/1170181/bidders-eye-lloyds-owned-housebuilder-avant

Avant Homes (Gladedale’s new branding), has instructed Rothschild to prepare the Company for auction in 2014. By launching the sale, publicly-funded Lloyds Bank aims to recover £100M+ of its loans to the House-builder, after an earlier debt-for-equity swap of approx £500M.

This could be a game-changer for the hated ‘Jolly Boatman’ development.

From the outset we have questioned the financial viability of the Gladedale development. With a two-storey underground car park dug into a floodplain; the loss of the Royal Star and Garter Charity’s cross-funding of the project, and no end-user for the riverside Hotel, its future is doubtful. It is extremely unlikely that the site’s next purchaser/developer will consider implementing the present scheme with its litany of complications and open, public opposition.

Elmbridge Council’s unshakable approval of Gladedale's proposals is mystifying. Should a new scheme emerge, HCRC hopes that EBC will be more collaborative this time, consulting fully with all the interested parties. Hampton Court Palace, Network Rail - the owners of the Station site, SWT the train operator and the residents of Molesey have shared objectives. We look forward to a scheme that will actually be a benefit; locally, nationally and commercially. We would all support a plan that would safeguard the 'Jolly Boatman' as an open embankment, so that views of the famous Palace and the setting of its historic Railway Station can forever be enjoyed.

We understand the disappointment of Monday's meeting, but things could look very different in 2014. Please stay with us; HCRC still has a lot to do.

With sincere thanks for your continued support.

Mary Brook

HCRC Communications

A sorry mess.....

http://www.hamptoncourtrescuecampaign.com/

It looked OK when they had it grassed over, put up ugly hoarding and see what happens.

Funny enough I was there last night and peeped through the hoardings, and the rubbish has been cleared