Wildlife Circus

Opportunity areas in Kingston   The bloggers will be burning the night oil after each of the Examination in Public (EiP) hearings of the Mayors London Plan. Some of yesterday's session on Opportunity Areas and Regeneration, is expounded below see also Kingston's emerging Local Plan Whilst no one wants to stop genuine homes being provided for our citizens - shelter is a human right - many are concerned about the way this is being undertaken. The inclusion of much of Kingston as 'Opportunity Areas' to deliver housing targets of 30,000, has raised a number of questions- including from our council - who want to see this number halved. The London Tenants Federation as well as many  other organisations  are calling for a halt in the spread of Opportunity Areas. OA's can mean that normal planning rules are suspended and density increases can be up to 300% ABOVE  average new development. They determine that an area can take extraordinary numbers of jobs and ne...

This is what the Mayors London plan says about the Thames Policy Area:  Development proposals within the Thames Policy Area identified in LDFs should be consistent with the published Thames Strategy for the particular stretch of river concerned.  The policies are currently:  Policy 3.5. Conserve and enhance the nature conservation interest of the River and its corridor with particular attention to Seething Wells and Hampton Court Park.  Policy 3.6. Conserve the feeling of open space created by the Water Works, particularly between the Portsmouth Road and the River.  Policy 3. 7. Retain a clear separation between the Dittons and Surbiton at present provided by the Water Works site by only allowing lowrise development incorporating open spaces as appropriate south of the Portsmouth Road  and keeping land north of Portsmouth Road (the area now under consideration) free of built development. It is therefore surprising that Hydro ...