Seething Wells

 

It’s that time of year when SW is reported on and the AGM approaches.

The agenda for tomorrow’s Surbiton Neighbourhood Meeting is out and it is possible to read the actions undertaken as part of the councils commitment to the working group.

Sad that Heritage England have declined to list the Pumping Station and railings.

In relation to the River Thames Scheme the officers report is as follows:

Recommendation (g): After the dissolution of the Councillor Working Group following these recommendations to the Place Committee, in accordance with the resolution of the Council Meeting of 27 January 2022, the Council will seek

proactive dialogue with the landowners to enhance the management and maintenance of the site, with the support of community groups and residents.

Update: The landowners most recent engagement with the Council comprises a letter to the Leader of the Council in August 2025 inviting collaboration to achieve compromises for Seething Wells; and phone conversations with the Director of Planning and Regeneration in November 2025 and January 2026.


Whilst dialogue with the landowners remains open, the most recent conversations have clearly indicated that the owners “will not wait indefinitely until such a time as

the Council credibly and constructively acknowledges that the considerable under supply of housing delivery in the borough over past decades, justifies the site being

brought forward for development for homes and open space”. The landowners have also said that they are “reaching the end of the road in attempts to work with the Council and in the absence of immediate and positive engagement, will pursue a planning application and appeal”.

11. Recommendation (h): It is the intention that the Working Group will continue its work under the auspices of the community, with the Council providing updates three times a year to Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee and annually to the Place Committee on the actions taken on the recommendation it has supported.

Update: Reports to the Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee have previously been

provided on 12 December 2023, 25 April 2024, 10 September 2024, 25 February 2025, 10 June 2025, 9 September 2025 and at this meeting. Annual updates were

provided to the Place Committee on 24 September 2024 and 18 September 2025.

12. Recommendation (i): The community, with the support of the Council, submits responses at appropriate stages in the process of the River Thames Scheme (RTS) development consent order (DCO). In the Council's own response to the DCO it will

take account of the community views of this opportunity.

Update: The Environment Agency (EA) has provided a RTS update in italics below received on 28 January 2026.

‘Following the Statutory consultation that was held in 2024, the Sponsor organisations requested two reviews before the DCO was finalised. The first was to check that the scheme design was the optimum and best value scheme. The second was to identify what steps the EA and Surrey needed to take as organisations to be ready to deliver a scheme on the scale of RTS.

The first review has concluded. There are no changes to the flood defence design, but some changes to the way we manage the excavated material during construction. These will not affect the outcomes from the scheme.

The second review is nearing completion and is leading to a few structural and governance changes for the scheme. For example, a director has been appointed (and will start in February) to oversee both RTS and the Thames estuary work.

During these reviews the project has paused development work.

In the coming few months we will be updating the RTS business case to enable the project to remobilise to complete the DCO. We don’t have a full programme yet, but this will be set out in the updated business case which we can share when it is ready.

For info, RTS has met with the TDRA team to ensure that any potential combined effects from the two projects are included within their respective Environmental Statements.


We also provided a recent update to the Thames RFCC. Cllr Julia

Needham-Watts from Richmond who represents the SW London boroughs attended so will have had a similar update.’

Stakeholder Engagement

13. In accordance with the decision by the Place Committee on 21 September 2023, the Working Group continues to work under the auspices of the community to enable, engage with and maintain constructive dialogue with relevant agencies, other stakeholders and the landowners regarding ongoing management of the

Seething Wells and wider considerations and opportunities relating to relevant strategic initiatives, such as the RTS and Thames Landscape Strategy.

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