Unitary Development Plan: open meeting

12.00.00am GMT Thu 6th Mar 2003

The Twickenham Society is hosting an open meeting with the Leader of the Council, Tory Councillor Tony Arbour, and Council Officers, to provide a further opportunity to put questions and views to them on the Unitary Development Plan. The meeting will be held at York House on Wednesday 19 March 2003 from 8.00pm-10.00pm.

The Council's proposed modifications to the Unitary Development Plan were made available for public representations earlier this year and the Council will be considering the objections received.

The changes to the Plan reflect the objectives of the new Council and include:

• Giving greater priority to protection of environment and particularly to protection of residential areas from unsuitable infill and backland development;

• An emphasis on reducing traffic congestion and pollution and a provision of a choice of different forms of travel;

• Changes to car parking standards to ensure that sufficient car parking is provided at new developments to avoid overspill parking on surrounding streets;

• To oppose the provision of a third runway at Heathrow Airport and support for the movement limits;

• Change to ensure that more sites provide for affordable housing and to include shared ownership and key worker housing;

• Amend the proposal for Richmond Station to provide more scope to achieve a high quality transport interchange;

• Amend proposal to Twickenham Baths site for possible temporary use such as open space;

• Amend proposals for school sites to provide for future expansion and improvement of facilities.

Councillor Nicola Urquhart, Tory Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, has commented: "The policies set out in the Unitary Development Plan have been amended to increase the protection given to the environment of the borough for both residents and visitors alike. It is hoped that the changes to the Unitary Development Plan and additional conservation area studies and design guidance will help ensure that established residential areas are not spoilt by inappropriate new development. I also hope that that the review of sites in the Council's ownership will provide income for much needed improvements to our parks and open spaces."

Liberal Democrat Councillor, Martin Elengorn said "I urge as many residents as possible to attend, ask questions and put their views. From his outburst at the Council meeting on Tuesday night it is apparent that Cllr Arbour has already made up his mind that most if not all the 2600 objections to the UDP modifications are misconceived. That is presumably why a 5 hour meeting of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee on April 1st (!) is thought sufficient deal with them at a rate of about 9 objections a minute."

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"A number of the most controversial site projects are described in the most brief way and I urge residents to press Cllr Arbour for more detail."