What's the development on Barge Walk opposite Portsmouth Road on the river walk into Kingston?

12 years ago...

There was a large boarded up area next to some unfortunate houses on the west side of the river for a long time. And now something seems to be rising up out of it. Does anybody know what it is?

I would be sad if this view ends up ruined by more houses.

Comments

Get a grip people, it's one bloody house! I don't see what your problem is, there was an abandon building there before and i didn't see anyone jumping up and down about that????
If you are able to get off your lazy back sides and burn some calories you'd soon realise that there are miles and miles of beautiful river views all along the Thames!
Is it really going to change your lives that much? If the answer is yes then you really need to get a life.

Calm down dear! There's no need to get hysterical. The only person jumping up and down is Mondeo Man and that's just because he's bitter about a speeding ticket.

You quote.... "I would be sad if this view ends up ruined by more houses."
I still quote.... "Is it really going to change your lives that much? If the answer is yes then you really need to get a life."

Now run along and stop talking tosh. I might suggest you read a book or go for a walk, but not along the river, we wouldn't want those evil houses tearing our lives apart would we?

Yea, you tell that Caolite. If he was really keen on knowing what was being built he would have gone on the planning application website like anyone else. Maybe he's a Swampy that needs his mum to do everything for him?
His deduction that I am 'Mondeo Man' with a speeding ticket is so off beam that I am sure that he dosn't have any mates who would want him in their team on the Crystal Maze.

Chill dude. Take a deep breath and breathe.

You cannot calm things down by upping the histrionics.

Nobody's life is going to be torn apart.

This is not the end of the world.

Take it easy, ok?

caoilte, even i have to admit you are starting to get pretty irritating now.

You seem to get pretty irritated very easily so that is not quite the admonishment you might imagine.

I don't think that those houses are unfortunate! I can't really think of a better location - 3,000 acres of parkland outside your backdoor, the Thames to the front whilst still being within walking distance of a major centre like Kingston. Best of both worlds locations don't come much better!

The development that you mention used to be an unmodernised 1960s (?) house. There was a lot of legal wrangling about what could be built there as it is on Royal Parks land. The owners of the site wanted to erect one of the 'Hoff' glass houses, but this was considered unsuitable and the original house was demolished and the site was put on the market at £2m.

I wasn't even aware it had sold, and it is a bit concerning that if the new development looks big. I can't imagine that the Parks authority will allow anything too out-of-keeping, or I certainly hope they don't.

Thanks,
I moved to the area before whatever was there previously was pulled down. I got used to the fantastic unbroken view into the parkland and will be saddened to see any new building in the space, however out-of-keeping.

I expect it will be lovely for anyone who lives there, but I still think that such developments are unfortunate breakdowns in zoning. The pleasure that these developments bring to the few people living there are outweighed by the loss of a beautiful view to the community.

I agree totally. One of the great things about Surbiton is the virtually unbroken parkland on the other side of the river. It makes it feel much less like you are living in a crowded suburb when you can see all of that open green space, and the river is a natural barrier to stop housing encroaching into the parkland.

I doubt they will be allowed to build anything else.

Mixed use schemes are all the rage in town 'planning'. This site, The Hampton Court Cultural Centre is ideal for a combination of Traveller's Camp, Student's Accomodation and a permanent base for the New Age Swampy's that occupied Ravens Ait a while back. There must be a Euro law somewhere that decrees that the non travelling 'Travellers' should be provided with prime river side locations in return for not paying any taxes like other citizens. Likewise students who do not pay any community tax but cause nightmares for the community with their drunken nightime anti social behavior. The Swampys may be a bit reluctant to occupy because there are too many vapour trails overhead which as we all know are being used by the government to 'bain wash' them. Funny but I find it difficult to reconcile the words 'brain' and 'wash' with Swampys.
The project is being entirely funded by a direct link to the speed camera on the Portsmouth road which harvests money from people who work hard enough to be able to afford a car and pay tax. Woolfy Smith would be proud!

you writing is a mixture of Richard Littlejohn and David Icke. More, please.

Staying with riverside settings, the 'new (ish) seating area' outside Woody's is finally getting it's due recognition. The other morning whilst walking into Kingston I was approached by a very polite young student (probably Surbiton High or Tiffins) with a survey clipboard who asked " just one qustion sir, what do you most dislike about the seating area"? Thats what I call a survey I thought, asking it like it is. No pretence that the bleak paved area littered with an oversized Jenga set is anything other than a disaster. How can a council that installed such elegant stainless steel handrails and seats outside Frere Jaques have allowed this? Did no-one look at the plans?
I noticed at the weekend that some of our high end uni students have worked out that the railway sleepers are actually meant to be seats and if the person on the top plank (hopefully the less drunk one) lays down they can converse with friends on the lower deck. Who says that media studies and plasticine modelling courses don't work!
The area resembles a vandalised council estate play ground. The timbers should be pulled up, lashed together with whoever commissioned it on top and floated off to the badlands of Molesley.
I thought that Elmbridge council would forever hold the title of worst waste of a riverside view site with their windowless SafeStore next to Coopers BMW but RBK have usurped them. Where's Lefi Ganderson when you need him?

Hahahahahahah at last a fellow hater!!!! That s**t hole i mean seating area drives me mad every time i walk past. It's a complete waste of space and what makes it worse is that 'some' contractor took over 7 months (yes that's right 7 bloody months!) to throw that mess together!
Really does make you wonder how muppets who designed/signed this off managed to get a job RBK?

God help Kingston!

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