Clock is ticking on Boatman developer

The Jolly Boatman site at Hampton Court

TIME is running out for the developer Gladedale to build a hotel, retail and care home complex on land around Hampton Court Station.

It has to satisfy Elmbridge Council that it has met 56 pre-conditions before it can start work, and must do so by June 16th 2013 when planning permission is due to expire.

As of late October 10 conditions had been approved, ranging from the types of materials to be used, to the buffer zone between the River Ember and the development, tree retention, a 'green roof' and more.

A further condition will be discussed at a council sub-committee on November 5th, and submissions for 13 other conditions have been received by Elmbridge Council.

Meanwhile an alternative plan for a park at the part of the site where the former Jolly Boatman pub once stood, was submitted by Thames Ditton resident Andrew Roberts and ex-Hampton Court consultant architect Keith Garner. It was supported by hundreds of letters from the public and was granted planning permission by Elmbridge Borough Council without the need for a debate and vote in council chambers.

Elmbridge Council Leader, John O’Reilly, said: "If the application had come before the Planning Committee I would have spoken strongly in favour and would certainly have voted in support. But of course to make it actually happen, the applicants have to own the site and the developer being willing to sell to them. That’s definitely a big challenge."

Steve Bax, Chairman of the Molesey Conservative Residents, added: "The prevailing view in Molesey - and one Molesey Conservatives agree with - is that a landscaped garden would be the best outcome at the Jolly Boatman site. It would preserve the view of the historic Hampton Court Palace from this side of the river.

“Molesey Conservatives were pleased that Elmbridge Council approved the Roberts-Garner design, and we would urge Gladedale to enter into negotiations with residents in good faith, with a view to selling the site to the community if it is unable to meet its planning conditions by the June deadline."

Molesey roads in need of repair!

SURREY County Council is promising a five year blitz on the county’s worst roads.

It wants residents to suggest those in most need of attention by emailing improvemyroad@surreycc.gov.uk

John Furey, the county councillor for transport, said 90% of Surrey roads are now in a ‘decent condition’ and it is time to look at the remaining 10%.

Molesey Conservatives were successful in having Hampton Court Avenue in East Molesey resurfaced earlier this year, after sending photo evidence to Mr Furey’s predecessor.

Now we are asking for Island Farm Road (pictured) to be addressed. Please post your comments below.

Dominic Raab MP: No going back on deficit

ESHER & Walton MP Dominic Raab wrote the following column for readers of the Molesey News (Conservative newsletter) in September 2012, to update on his work locally and at Westminster.

The government is taking a range of measures to dig us out of this economic rut – cutting business taxes, cutting the red-tape holding entrepreneurs back, and trying to help get finance from the banks to the viable businesses that need the lifeline.

But, there is no going back on the plans to cut the deficit. The debt we have inherited from the last government is holding Britain back and is an appalling legacy to leave the next generation. It must be tackled.

Beyond the economy, we are delivering on welfare reform, so that those on benefits don’t earn more than the average family in work.

Schools reform is re-emphasising the importance of discipline and academic rigour – to equip our children with the skills to thrive in work and life.

We have a cap on immigration that is starting to bring down the numbers. The Prime Minister vetoed an EU treaty that threatened the British economy, and has refused to implement the diktat from Strasbourg ordering prisoners be given the vote.

Locally, I have been engaged with small businesses, local police officers at the new hub by the local, GPs and local charities. I intervened with Gladedale to help secure the landscaping of the Jolly Boatman site for the Olympics, and am supportive of efforts by local residents to purchase the site permanently. 

Above all, living round the corner in Thames Ditton, I understand and feel part of this wonderful, vibrant, community.”

Visit www.dominicraab.com to contact Dominic or to sign up for his monthly newsletter.

Molesey all set for Olympics!

MOLESEY will be looking its best for the Olympic cycling races in a month - with even the Jolly Boatman getting a makeover.


Conservative-led Elmbridge Council and MP Dominic Raab have been among those putting pressure on Gladedale Ltd, the developer which owns the derelict Boatman site next to Hampton Court Station, to get it cleared up.

And The Molesey News is pleased to report that Historic Royal Palaces is to landscape the site on behalf of Gladedale and in time for the Olympics when thousands of spectactors will come to Molesey.

Already litter and debris have been cleared, a fence has been put up around the site, and turf laid (see picture, right) - with the work due for completion in time for Hampton Court Flower Show on July 3.

On July 28th, 29th, and August 1st the eyes of the world will be on Molesey when the Olympic cycle races come to town, with competitors sweeping across Hampton Court Bridge and along the length of Hurst Road - passing through Walton and on to Box Hill before coming back to our area via Hampton Court Way. The time trials cycling event on August 1st will see racers using Walton Road.

Conservative councillor Jan Fuller, the Elmbridge cabinet member overseeing the borough’s Olympic preparations, said: “Areas along the route will be well decorated using money from Surrey County Council and Locog (Olympic organising committee). We have got 16 old bikes that will be decorated with silk flowers to go on roundabouts - as this is a very inexpensive way of making things look nicer.”

She said the crowning piece will be a commissioned wrought iron sculpture mounted on a rainbow shape which will be installed at the Sadler’s Ride roundabout in July.

In addition the ‘Welcome to the Elmbridge’ signs are being replaced with new ones celebrating our Olympic host borough status.

Following the games the Olympic portion of the signs will be unclipped and replaced with names of the town visitors are entering.

Elmbridge has £178,000 of Government money to spend on Jubilee and Olympic legacy projects, and some £40,000 of this is being awarded to local sports clubs to encourage young people to become more active.

Cllr Fuller said: “We set-up a cross-party task group to spend this money and one of the things we are going to do for young people is to put table tennis facilities into five parks. There will be two outdoor tables going in by the Hurst Pool in Molesey in the next two weeks.
“This is something the borough hasn’t got already and we’re going to give out free bats and balls for anyone who takes up the free coaching we will provide. We are talking to local shops to try to persuade them to stock bats and balls in future.”

South West Trains has given Hampton Court Station a lick of paint in anticipation of droves of Olympic spectators decending in July, and the Environment Agency has removed the undergrowth alongside the Thames at Hampton Court Bridge for spectators to stand and watch the races.

Residents are no fans of MJFC parking

A PLANNING application which threatened to pit Molesey Juniors Football Club against residents has been declared invalid by Elmbridge Council.


MJFC had applied to the council for permission to extend its car park at Neilsons Field off Molesey Park Road to 115 spaces, which would have meant laying hardstanding for 47 additional spaces on the green belt.
The matter had been due to go before councillors in June but the application was suddenly rejected by the council on grounds that more information was needed on ‘transport implications and tree protection’.

Residents of The Wilderness, Molesey Park Road and other streets had written letters of objection arguing that the area was being deluged with cars on match days but that extending the car park would not solve this.
In an eight-page objection The Water Garden Residents Company - a body which represents households in The Wilderness - argued that: “The car parking facilities have rarely been able to accommodate the traffic generated by the club resulting in illegal parking on pavements in residential roads and causing a risk hazard to pedestrians.

“Currently on any match day between 250 and 300 cars try to access the ground, and extending the car park to 115 spaces will not solve the parking issues, congestion or improve the safety for visitors to the matches or the other users of the river walk, Neilsons field or the infant children’s playground adjacent to the public car park.”

MJFC provides football at the field for around 300 young people for up to 10 hours a week at weekends. Objectors stress that they do support the club’s work in providing sport for the young, but want the parking problems addressed.

These include parents and supporters leaving often large vehicles in the passing spaces of the narrow road bridge which leads to Neilsons Field, creating ‘congestion and danger’ from vehicles reversing back over the bridge.

Residents told The Molesey News they would like MJFC to marshall cars in the direction of the under-utilised public car park off Walton Road in the town centre. One said: “It cannot be beyond the wit of all concerned - especially when the safety issues are taken into account - of finding ways to get the parents to use this car park. The walk is short enough - and surely a relief at not having to do battle to get onto the field every week.”

County Councillor Ernest Mallett, who submitted the parking space application as chairman of the Molesey Juniors Trust, assured that there is no truth to rumours that the club needs the extra spaces to expand its activities or to create a clubhouse with a late drinks licence.

Molesey Conservatives are pleased to report that residents have since had positive talks with MJFC and are hopeful of working together to resolve the parking issues. We’ll keep you posted.

Apps Court wins appeal

APPS Court Farm has won its appeal against Elmbridge Council's refusal to allow it to open a park and ride for the Olympics.
Councillors had accused the owners of the farm in Hurst Road of being greedy in seeking to operate a scheme at its green belt site for 14 weeks.
But a planning inspector over-ruled the council in June, authorising the change of use of a building to provide visitor and security facilities and for the park and ride to operate for eight weeks.
Steve Bax of the Molesey Conservatives said: "This is a good result for Molesey. If the park and ride was not going ahead we would have had thousands of Olympic tourists coming here with nowhere to leave their cars. Our streets and grass verges would have suffered.”

Elmbridge can save cash by having fewer councillors

Cllr John O'Reilly

THERE could be fewer politicians at Esher Civic Centre in future following a review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).
Conservative councillors voted in April to ask the independent boundary commission to review all 22 wards in Elmbridge as consider the appropriate number of councillors for each (Molesey wards have three each but some others have two).
The borough currently has 60 council seats - 32 are held by Conservatives, 22 by residents associations, six are Liberal Democrats, but the Conservative group would like to see this reduced to 48 in order to cut the cost of local government.
Councillors receive £4,245 as a basic allowance and every year this costs taxpayers £254,700 (plus additional monies councillors receive for cabinet posts and heading committees). A smaller, 48-person council, would save around £47,000 each year, assuming the boundary commission feels a reduction is warranted.
The review and consultations with voters is expected to take over a year and after that further time will be needed to receive the approval of Parliament. So changes are unlikely to take effect until elections in May 2015.
Leader of the Council, Cllr John O'Reilly (pictured) told the Molesey News that the council staff had reduced in recent years, as had the borough’s areas of responsibility, and councillors should not be exempt from the change and reductions.
Elmbridge Conservatives have led the way in reducing the cost of local government in the last six years, by saving £5million through cutting waste, renegotiating contracts and improving efficiency - all of which means the the council can continue to afford quality frontline services.