No garden for Jolly Boatman site?

THE developer which owns the derelict ‘Jolly Boatman’ site opposite Hampton Court, has yet to take up the Palace’s offer to landscape the area.

Gladedale, which plans to build a hotel on the land sometime before next year, was given a chance to have the site turned into a garden so that it could look its best during this summer’s Olympics - when three cycle races will pass by.

But The Molesey News understands the developer is considering other options, including to invite global TV crews to position themselves at the Boatman.

Molesey Conservative Residents candidate Steve Bax is to write to Gladedale to urge it to take up the Palace’s offer before it’s too late.

He said: “This developer stands to make a lot of money when it eventually builds its hotel, homes and retail complex around the station.

“The least Gladedale can do in the circumstances is to allow this site to be beautified in the short term, to give something back to the people of Molesey.”

Steve will pledge himself at the election to work with the developer and local residents, including the Hampton Court Rescue Campaign, to mitigate the effects of the scheme on Molesey. He will support any credible proposal to buy the land, so that it can become a permanent garden and compliment Hampton Court Palace.

He is also concerned about what will happen when the 240 space station car park is built on as part of Gladedale and Network Rail’s hotel, homes and retail scheme.

Steve said: “I fear even more commuter cars will flood Molesey. We must protect our residential streets from this onslaught. Network Rail must provide parking and not expect our residential streets to accommodate its customers.”