A controversial planning application for a block of nine flats with nine parking places on the garden behind 10 Kings Road in Richmond, a residential home for the elderly, has been turned down by Richmond's Planning Committee.

The 0.23 hectare site lies in the St Mathias conservation area, and neighbouring buildings are listed for their merit. The area is also classified as deficient in public open space.

The controversy arises from the Planning Inspector's recommendation in the Unitary Development Plan that the backland site should be used for low-rise housing for the elderly, to complement Kingsbury House - the name of the home at 10 Kings Road. Richmond Council disagrees with this direction. The council also states that there is no shortage of housing for older people, only an issue of quality.

There have been many objections from local people to using the land for a block of flats, and the plans would mean the loss of six mature trees, with works required to ten others for the development to proceed. Trees at the centre of the site would have to be removed.

Susan Kramer, LibDem PPC for the Richmond Park constituency, welcomed the decision.

"For the moment sense has prevailed. Richmond Council must understand that the flats and parking development they encouraged on the Kingsbury House backlands has now been rejected unanimously by Richmond's Planning Committee," said Ms Kramer.

"This was an application that needed to be thrown out before it wrecked the peace of vulnerable, elderly residents at Kingsbury House. The credit goes to those residents and other local people who protested and signed the petitions we circulated.

"Now action is needed for a development on the site that provides for elderly people. We are desperately short of decent housing for local residents when they get old. Older people must be able to remain a key part of our community."

See the report to Planning Committee of 4 November 2004

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