Green Spaces Strategy Review Kingston Council Presentation 14.10.14

During the presentation we were informed that  the 706 ha of open space managed by Kingston Council includes:
  • 350 ha of publicly owned open space; and 
  • 356 ha of privately owned open space in the borough (such as Six-Acre Meadow or Millais' meadow owned by Merton College). 

Since 2008, there has been efficiency savings of £400,000.The budget is currently £2.2 million compared with:

  • Wandsworth 607 ha £2.4 million
  • Richmond 500 ha £3.5 million
  • Ealing 947 ha £2.8 million
Contracts are coming up for renewal and further savings must be made. In this context it has made us appreciate some of progress made in the borough and we are anxious not to lose these gains.

We were able to make comments in notebooks  under various headings such as Biodiversity; Trees; Community Engagement etc.Under Biodiversity the list seem to be growing rapidly and  some of the comments included concern over:
  • Dogs ring-barking trees around the borough;
  • The unofficial landfill site at Clayton Road;
  • Plans to develop Tolworth Court Farm;
  • The future loss of woodland at the Cassel Hospital;
  • Light pollution along the River Thames (obviously me)!; and 
  • Poor monitoring of open spaces leased to golf courses and health clubs.



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