Richmond Council has revealed a fresh list of properties that it intends to dispose of over the next three years, with a detailed breakdown of progress on the programme for the coming financial year, 2004/5.

The list includes some controversial sites:

• toilets at Terrace Gardens in Richmond
• toilets at High Street, Teddington
• The Ark (Meadows Hall), Richmond
• Friars Lane car park, Richmond
• Fortescue Avenue site, including scout hut and furniture store
• 3 Garage Site between 52-78 Shacklegate Lane, Teddington
• Land at Bishops Grove, Hampton
• Land at Dean Road, Hampton
• Graham Road Garage Site, Hampton Hill
• Land rear of Mead Road, Ham
• Terrace Yard, Petersham Road, Richmond
• Athelstan House, 36 Percy Road, Hampton
• The Avenue Centre, Hampton Wick
• 45A High Street, Hampton Wick
• Land rear of 15 Barnlea Close, Hanworth
• Land rear of 16 Barnlea Close, Hanworth
• Exeter Road garages, Hanworth
• Land rear of Fountains Avenue, Hanworth
• 118 Queens Road, Richmond
• 40 Teddington Park, Teddington
• Sherland Road Garage Site, Twickenham
• Land in Water Lane, Twickenham
• Land at 4-6 Bell Lane, Twickenham
• Land at 9 Bell Lane, Twickenham
• 2 Rodney Road, Whitton
• Part Nelson Road car park, rear off High Street, Whitton
• Feltham Triangle, Whitton
• Fortescue Avenue site, Twickenham

The list includes brief comment on what might be expected to be achieved on the site, which in some cases includes affordable housing and replacement of current community facilities and in others might indicate a high quality development.

Under the heading "Reinvesting for Richmond's future - long term financial planning", an accompanying report explains the rationale:

"This policy involves disposing of capital assets that are no longer fit for purpose or which are not of strategic value to the authority in order to reinvest the proceeds in new capital resources for the Borough. Such sale and reinvestment will make it possible for the council to continue to improve schools, libraries, parks, playgrounds and other facilities throughout the Borough.

"Without such sales new investment could only be made by a borrowing or higher council taxation or a combination of the two. This programme of Reinvesting for Richmond’s Future is a key component of the Council’s Civic Pride strategy to repair past neglect of Borough facilities. In 2002 officers reported a backlog of £65 million of capital spending that needed to be made good."

There are still some properties where sales are not yet complete from the first three-year disposals programme, which began in 2001/2, and these include:

• Land adjacent to Gardenia Lodge, Hampton
• Land at 14 Water Lane, Richmond
• Mill Farm Industrial Site, Farm Road, Hounslow
• Land at rear of 10 Kings Road, Richmond
• Alexandra Hall, Mortlake (overage payment only)
• King Georges Fields Changing Rooms, Ham
• Oldfield Road Depot, Hampton (overage payment only)
• 40, Cambridge Park, Twickenham
• Land at Nene Gardens, Hanworth
• Hotham House, Richmond
• Richmond Cemetery Lodge
• Cambridge Gardens, former WCs

The report continues:

"In order to sustain reinvestment over the forthcoming three years, further sales of surplus or unfit property will be required. Losses of potential sales can be very damaging to hopes of improving schools and other facilities. For example, two recent potential sales dropped after campaigns against sale – North Lane Car Park, identified for sale in 2001, and land by Chertsey Road, designated as a village green – could alone have realised well over £2 million for reinvestment in schools."

Declaring that the community as a whole must recognise the significance of the policy to the long-term benefit of the borough, the report goes on to say that the disposals programme will be conducted with the maximum openness and transparency.

But the programme is already attracting some criticism. James Page, a Green Party member and who sits on the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee, says: "I cannot think of a less sustainable method of generating cash than selling freehold assets."

See the list in
Richmond Council's disposals programme for 2004/5

and see the
Report to Cabinet 20 July 2004
List of properties in which Richmond Council has an interest

Sunday, July 18, 2004

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