Record of points raised at Neighbourhood Forum 10 September 2013 – Topic group workshops

Points raised by Facilitators in their summary back to the meeting are highlighted in bold, but they are not necessarily priorities. Where the same comment has been made more than once on post-it notes, these are indicated with x2,3,4

1. Open Space and Biodiversity

• Concerns about loss of wildlife especially wildflowers. Need for more planting around the area and for Management plans for specific woodlands and open spaces and also protection for the open spaces.
• Concerns about unkempt gardens. Suggest scheme whereby keen gardeners offer to help neighbours unable to care for their own gardens
• Welcome for wildflower area on Ham Green and donation by Richmond Borough Council of bulbs and seeds. Request for more bulk seeds for major sites.
• Suggest page on community website where residents could identify areas which need development in terms of clearing and planting
• Welcome for news that Grey Court Allotment likely to be re-settled in/near Walnut Tree Walk Allotments
• Concerns about destructive aspect of mowing e.g. orchids on Ham Lands and clearing of long stretches of river banks. Need for liaison with RBC or another contractor
• Concerns about how plans for lighting may affect bats particularly in area around Ham Green and along the river
• Concerns and questions about extent to which wildlife can be expected to adapt to consequences of change in the area – increases in building, lighting, tidying and gentrification etc.
• Request that HUG should explore ways of obtaining discounted wild bird seed/feed which could be sold locally. Could RBC be a source?
• How can we protect badgers in this area?
• Foxes – to what extent are they a threat to biodiversity in this area? Need for more information/understanding about maintaining balance between human and wildlife needs
• Concerns about loss of skylarks on Ham Lands (and more recently in Richmond Park ) – both likely to be due to increase in dog walking in these areas
• Concerns about loss of hedgehogs in the area – need for more understanding of possible causes
• Concerns about loss of meadowland locally. Need to extend this and also ‘green corridors’ between open areas
• Request for more signage on Ham Lands giving information about wildlife
• Suggest that a phone app could be developed to provide such information electronically
• Program of guided nature walks to educate public about local biodiversity
• Suggest biodiversity group should be formed within the Forum to address all above. At least 3 volunteers keen to participate.
• Need for appropriate bird seed and not bread at Pond
• A number of other suggestions/ ideas previously raised by HUG were attached but do not form part of this record 

 

 

2. Travel and Transport

Cycle issues

• Cyclists to have bells and use them.
• Enforce no cycling on pavements (danger to pedestrians with mobility problems)
• Joined up cycle lanes
• Slow cycling so safer for cyclists.
• Dropped kerb across grass between Ham Street at entrance to Cut Throat Alley.
• Cut through cycle lane at Sandy Lane chicane
• All changes/ renovations to streets should include improved cycle facilities.
• Improve cycle routes to central London.
• Cycle parking o/s Ashburnham Road shops
• Cycling ‘facility’ around bend in Petersham Road
• .

Bridge issues

• Improve access to Twickenham amenities, become less disconnected
• Vote for Radnor Bridge proposal
• Ham is closed off, make it more accessible.
• Cyclist bridge (but no road bridge)
• New bridge would be an environmental disaster and is not needed.
• Review use of bridge. Which part of Twickenham do we want to connect to?
• Don’t have a new river bridge – the amount of traffic would wreck Ham
• Yes to bridge to Twickenham x4
• Bridge to Radnor Gardens not Marble Hill side of Twickenham – save Hammertons ferry.
• Broadly support foot/cycle bridge across from Ham to Twickenham but smaller scale ideas for cycle improvements may use funding better.
• Consider carefully the cost of a cycle bridge in relation to overall budget.

Traffic calming/ street scene issues

• Traffic calming Ham Street (Sandy Lane to river car park). Ham Street one way to be considered. No to loop Ham Street/ Back Lane.
• Traffic calming. Introduce ‘Neighbourhood Zones’ 20mph in all residential streets. 20’s plenty
• Enforce proper parking i.e. not on pavements
• Car clubs
• Reduce dominance of car and increase provision for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Humps needed to control speeding traffic in Church Road (will get worse with Latchmere development)
• Overgrown trees both sides of Ham Farm Road + footpath in terrible dangerous condtion.
• Less street furniture to reduce accidents (e.g. Kensington High Street)
• Double yellow lines on main road bus route between Ham Gate Avenue and Ham Parade (recent bad accident).
• Introduce shared space where ‘roads’ are shared equally with pedestrians, cyclists and cars.
• Separate pedestrians and cyclists
• Include cyclist when designing all roads and junctions
• Are we getting close to the limit for parking capacity on some roads?
• Traffic calming especially on Sandy Lane

Tow path issues

• Improve surface of tow path Ham to Richmond near Petersham Meadows. No separate cycle lane.
• Segregate cycle and pedestrian tracks on riverside path x2
• Keep cycling away from tow path – flooding makes it impossible.
• Cycle route to Richmond avoiding Petersham Road
• Don’t spoil natural beauty of tow path and river with a bridge and cycle lane.

River issues

• River Taxi to Richmond (and London) x2
• Oyster card use on river ferry.
• Board boats at Teddingon Lock x2
• Boat service Ham-Richmond-Kew Gardens x2
• Improved lighting to Teddington Lock at night time.

Bus issues

• 371 buses too fast on Sandy Lane
• Improved access to Kingston hospital (re-route 371) x2
• Extend 371 to nearer Tesco
• Extend Countdown system to busy request stops (e.g. Broughton Avenue)
• Working and reliable Countdown on all bus stops x3
• Reposition bus stops in Broughton Avenue opposite each other.
• More frequent  371 service + double decker’s at peak times
• 65 and 371 too full during peak hours.
• K5 most useless bus – should come to Ham / St Richards / Library x3

3. Energy and Water

Energy

• Build on success of Low Carbon Zone
• LCZ2 x2
• Education on energy
• Thermal imaging (every home + interpretation of usage)
• Loft clearance scheme
• Street lights – too much light/ less light pollution
• Energy metering project Grey Court
• Energy advice centre/ website x2
• Minimise restrictive rules for solar panels
• Speed bumps to power streetlights
• Community tariff
• Bulk purchase of energy
• Solar feasibility study (Ham Solar model – collective tender)
• Council benefits from community renewable projects (e.g. cheaper street lighting)
• Community energy feasibility study

Water

• Wetlands flood relief / wetlands habitat – look into flood defences
• Thames Landscape Strategy
• Rainwater collection
• Every household gets a subsidised water butt x2
• Education about water consumption
• Encourage metering (awareness of savings)
• Recycling grey water
• Reduce long showers

 

4. Street Scene and Heritage

• Investigate rubbish law and enforce RPH’s to clear rubbish from their land
• Open street map
• Recycling area in car park next to Ashburnham Road shops is always a mess x3
• Eye sores – back of shops
• Community clearance of RHP alleys (Stretton Road) x2
• Keep clear alleyways behind pillar box on Back Lane
• Preserve the areas special character
• Too urban – losing the semi-rural
• Minimise obtrusive signage
• Too many yellow lines and signs
• Greater ownership of our environment e.g. litter
• Uneven paving
• Wiggins Lane to Craig Road alley unsafe pavement
• Benches + seats everywhere
• No building on Ham Close Green
• Need for regulations on motorised chariots x2
• Need a WC at Ham Street car park funded by CIL
• More cycle hoops on Ham Parade
• Local Heritage (Blue) plaques for local historic buildings
• Bad detailing can have great impact (wall by Ham House stables)
• Empty shops – measures to avoid looking derelict
• Back road to Ham Parade a priority
• Identify tiny areas for gardens and improvements (e.g. HAG gate House Garden)
• Ham Parade – beautify hanging baskets/planters – joint initiative
• Gate House at Ham Parade- remove signs and rubbish in front
• Notice boards around the area to make a bigger impact
• Maintenance of Ashburnham shops
• Individual responsibility for frontage (freeholders and landlords) – keep clear of rubbish (mattresses/ furniture) x2

5. Shopping and Employment

• Ham Credit Union to avoid people using payday loans and invest in new businesses
• Wider range of shops particularly shops which repair
• Personal services provision e.g. shopping + post office
• Farmers market
• Hairdresser
• Need a post office x3
• Promotions to encourage more trade
• Business Forum for all local shopping parades
• Sell locally produced food in shops e.g. allotments
• Peoples supermarket
• Barclays bank at risk of closure – only cash machine
• Pop up shops where vacant shops
• Maker space, shared shed in Ham Close
• Self-employment
• Events in parades – bring them together with greater voice
• Shop for local artists to sell pictures
• Recycling shop
• More ‘activity shops’ – like Wendy’s
• Ham House café to have access to Ham resident’s (all year or just off season?)

6. Food

• ‘Adopt a garden’ scheme
• More allotments
• Community orchards
• Make advice and coaching on gardening available
• Swap scheme for locals – abundance scheme
• Own produce donation ‘Ham Classifieds’ type site
• Gorilla gardening
• Harvest natural foods – blackberry’s
• Providing good seeds for planting you own food
• Having volunteers to advise on garden maintenance
• Children’s café with healthy food.
• Breakfast clubs for kids
• Free school lunches
• Involve children in cooking process, cooking demonstrations (tasting and recipes)  from different nationalities
• Get younger people involved in growing your own
• Schools should be involved in encouraging students to grow
• Mini farmers market
• Food and cancer – how to eat healthy
• Helping old people – shopping service and food preparation

7. Education and youth

• Swop skills with youngsters and younger people teach older people – passing it to the next generation.
• New models of learning and listening to young people
• Art centre for young people
• Fun days to energise everyone
• Build on hubs that exist
• How to make what is going on more well known
• Can local talent be used to improve offers to children inside + outside school (Glass workshops, weaving, needlework etc).
• Investment in existing projects
• Grey Court swimming pool – can we help?
• Maker spaces – hands on
• New technology – Facebook, web site
• ‘older younger people’ are good at getting others views
• Links with Richmond Parliament – youth forum already exists
• Shadow Forum for young people
• Let the children organise what they want
• Embed the ‘voice of the child’
• Kids with additional different needs
• Let local community be aware of school activities by advertising events they can attend.

8. Housing

General

• Pressure for affordable housing
• More land grabs for gardens
• Awareness that H+P is unique low density area under pressure for development
• Planning committees don’t consider local public opinion
• Changes to the classification of land, selling off community land
• No green areas to be built on
• Open land register – who owns what?
• Define areas by community designation – Article 4
• Build more specialist housing
• Ability to expand and modify properties
• Lack of affordable small scale ‘studio’ type properties
• Both ends of demographic scale less well served in area
• Is there more pressure in H+P to meet Richmond target requirements?
• Star + Garter could meet proportion of housing  development target
• Pressure on Ham Lands for development
• Try to be positive and identify places that could be developed for housing
• Should Star + Garter be in area?
• 3 empty local homes – why are they still empty?

Strathmore/ Russell

• Concern over open areas being developed (Strathmore/ Russell schools)
• School open space should not be lost for housing
• Share information for all on Richmond’s proposals
• More housing brings more road (traffic/ parking) use

Ham Close

• Wimpy ‘no fines’ construction – being considered for redevelopment
• Pressure on green spaces (Ham Village Green) for affordable housing  x2
• Acceptable to develop on Ham green but maintain comparable area in single space
• Ham Close development
• Amount of building will have an effect on community feel
• Ham is a village not an urban ‘outspill’
• Green Flag status applied for Village Green
• Lessons from Roehampton low rise
• Potentially could be rebuilt and youth club relocated
• Request for information on Ham Close

9. Recycling and Waste

• Regular litter picking + dog waste x2
• More localised (small scale) recycling stations
• Reinstate green waste area that used to be in Perryfield Way
• Communal skip for building (timber) and garden waste (top soil)
• Green waste bags too expensive
• Better recycling coordination and collection
• Less refuse collection if it saves money
• School to recycle paper
• Check wheelie bin costs and publicity
• Coordinate waste collection from flats
• Community composting
• Reintroduce car boot sales
• Create a relationship between litter and recycling
• Collecting waste food from flats
• Penalties for keeping mattresses in front garden
• Local Freecycle style site for unwanted items + option for non-computer users)
• Reintroduce money back on bottles/ cans
• Plastic bag free zone –  window stickers for shops
• Local shops to encourage reuse of customers own bags/ containers
• Community organic garden waste Leland House and other flats
• Reuse/ recycle redundant furniture – local project
• Recycle water – encourage metering
• Anaerobic digester for local people – cooking oil

10. Major projects

• Pedestrian bridge to Twickenham
• What is happening to Ham Close? + no building on Ham Green X3
• Ham Close desperately needs redeveloping
• Royal Oak – community coffee shop run as mini enterprise by school
• Road bridge where the Lock is
• No road bridge under any circumstances
• Designs (technical drawings) of major projects – open source
• Improve pavements especially in Lock Road
• No major projects requires – no not change character of area x2
• Swimming pool based at Grey Court
• Can we have adult badminton at Grey Court school?
• A community centre where old and young at last pass each other and shar facilities
• Peak time boat service to Richmond/ Kingston + river bus crossing river
• Better link to Teddington Station – shuttle bus
• Community centre, swimming pool, redevelop youth centre x2
•  No buildings on Ham Village Green x3

11. Development Sites

• Key site of concern was Ham Close
• No land grab
• Petersham needs a shop (could be future of Fox and Duck?)
• Resistance to architectural fake design and kitsch
• Atmosphere of area would alter if density is increased
• Need good development for unattractive areas in H+P
• Want to know who owns land
• Seem to be comfortable with mediocrity we know rather than quality we don’t know
• Have a “fear of the future”
• Quiet voices are never heard when developers are in the room
• Are ‘shop’ rents too high for new units near St Richards?

12. Health

• Only 1 GP surgery – long queues, poor access to doctors
• 2 NHS dentists
• Good pharmacies
• Minor injuries clinic needed
• Kingston hospital near
• More active health preventative services
• Better use of Ham Clinic – GP surgery there again
• Reducing health inequalities
• Community health and development workers combating obesity, lifestyle challenges – catalysts for improvement
• Public health campaigns for
• ‘Ham is One Community’ is our aim

13. Community Safety

• Alleyways – visibility  use mirrors
• Lighting in dark areas – bat friendly
• Parking at schools – Russell + Meadlands school run one way only loop zig-zags
• Cyclists speeding on pavements and paths
• Ham Parade Traders – CCTV tie in – rules / regs. Not high crime. Double parking
• Children’s Centre – social media use alerts Facebook + Twitter
• Ham Lands access needs to be friendlier – lighting, cycling
• Speeding – Petersham Road, Riverside Drive, Ham Street, Ham Close