Thames Landscape Strategy - Hampton to Kew -

Arcadian Diary January 2005

A new year and in many ways a new start for our river as we move towards beginning the works in earnest funded by the London’s Arcadia Heritage Lottery Fund. With this in mind I felt it was appropriate at this important stage to briefly remind you of how the scheme came about before outlining what is planned over the winter and into the spring.

An important principle in all our conservation work is to respect the character of each short stretch of river and that means finding local solutions that work for each different area. These decisions look to ensuring a sustainable future for all aspects of the landscape which respects the past but also considers the way people and wildlife will use the landscape in the coming years. Not all of these are easy decisions to make. Choices have to be made and the vast number of different views about how things should take place have to be weighed up as there are many conflicting demands on the Thames. The needs of wildlife have to balanced with recreational use. Cyclists invariably clash with walkers and management regimes have to be robust whilst at the same time go largely un-noticed.

Add to this the amount of different agencies, departments and statutory bodies that also work along the Thames and the waters get very murky. It was for this reason that the Thames Landscape Strategy was launched in 1994 (a 100-year blue print for the river), to bring river managers and the community together to find management solutions that are based firmly on what local people want for their river.

A strategy however, is only worth the paper it is written on if it is implemented, so the next stage was to begin setting up various projects along the river to see the vision carried through to reality. To start with these were quite small schemes as it is important to get the basics of litter picking, crime reduction and grass cutting right first. This done, a series of initiatives were drawn up along the river (including Kingston, Molesey, Teddington and Brentford, although these are at a very early stage) but it was the London’s Arcadia project centred on Twickenham, Ham and Richmond that led the way.

Local people were asked what they would like to see happen along the river and from this a long ‘wish list’ of possible projects was published. These were then whittled down through the consultation process to a list of 122 initiatives. Following this, the 122 ideas were designed and costed and an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund to raise the money needed to implement the scheme. It quickly became obvious that not all the projects could be initiated in one go due to their cost and the desire to spread change over time. For this reason many of the Arcadia designs have been put on the back burner to be implemented in the coming years as funding opportunities emerge.

So, exactly what can you expect to take place over the next couple of months. First off are works to clean up Cholmondely Walk including the planting of trees, removal of the old brick planter, extension of the lawned area and re-instatement of granite setts by St Helena Terrace. It is hoped that this work will start in early February. Next will be the removal of the outrageously unsightly chain link fence that runs along the edge of the Terrace Gardens below Richmond Hill. Although we are still consulting on the final details of this project it is anticipated that work will start in mid February.

Across the river in St. Margaret’s we will be restoring the splendid railings along Ranelegh Drive between Richmond Lock and Railshead Road. Just upstream of this Arcadia will be carrying out some landscaping to the seating area between Twickenham Bridge and the railway line at the end of Ducks Walk. This charming little spot is one of my favourites along the Thames reminiscent of the romantic little parks I used to love along the Seine when I lived in Paris. The designers have come up with a wonderfully simple plan for the space, replacing the street lights with Windsor types (the sort that look like Victorian gas lanterns), new seats and a bredon gravel surface.

We have been working with Richmond Council to put new street lights up Richmond Hill and it is now planned for these to be installed in the spring. The type of light chosen for this site is known as ‘Strand’ as they were first designed for The Strand in central London (they are still there and are now used in many historic locations). All new lights will have a clear soft white metal halide bulb and be designed to minimise light pollution. It is also planned, in March, to replace the orange bulbs in the lights along Richmond Riverside with these soft white sorts alongside other improvements such as new litterbins and seating.

There are of course more projects planned for later in the year but we are still designing these at the moment. There are many ways for everyone to get involved in these projects ranging from donations, talks, guided walks or through practical volunteering. The latter is excellent fun and anybody can join in. There are a host of different events planned but the one I am most looking forward to is planned for Saturday 26th February on the Terrace Field. Volunteers are invited to help us rip down the chain link fence and erect a new one set further back in the gardens. It should be great fun.

A new year and in many ways a new start for our river as we move towards beginning the works in earnest funded by the London’s Arcadia Heritage Lottery Fund. With this in mind I felt it was appropriate at this important stage to briefly remind you of how the scheme came about before outlining what is planned over the winter and into the spring.

An important principle in all our conservation work is to respect the character of each short stretch of river and that means finding local solutions that work for each different area. These decisions look to ensuring a sustainable future for all aspects of the landscape which respects the past but also considers the way people and wildlife will use the landscape in the coming years. Not all of these are easy decisions to make. Choices have to be made and the vast number of different views about how things should take place have to be weighed up as there are many conflicting demands on the Thames. The needs of wildlife have to balanced with recreational use. Cyclists invariably clash with walkers and management regimes have to be robust whilst at the same time go largely un-noticed.

Add to this the amount of different agencies, departments and statutory bodies that also work along the Thames and the waters get very murky. It was for this reason that the Thames Landscape Strategy was launched in 1994 (a 100-year blue print for the river), to bring river managers and the community together to find management solutions that are based firmly on what local people want for their river.

A strategy however, is only worth the paper it is written on if it is implemented, so the next stage was to begin setting up various projects along the river to see the vision carried through to reality. To start with these were quite small schemes as it is important to get the basics of litter picking, crime reduction and grass cutting right first. This done, a series of initiatives were drawn up along the river (including Kingston, Molesey, Teddington and Brentford, although these are at a very early stage) but it was the London’s Arcadia project centred on Twickenham, Ham and Richmond that led the way.

Local people were asked what they would like to see happen along the river and from this a long ‘wish list’ of possible projects was published. These were then whittled down through the consultation process to a list of 122 initiatives. Following this, the 122 ideas were designed and costed and an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund to raise the money needed to implement the scheme. It quickly became obvious that not all the projects could be initiated in one go due to their cost and the desire to spread change over time. For this reason many of the Arcadia designs have been put on the back burner to be implemented in the coming years as funding opportunities emerge.

So, exactly what can you expect to take place over the next couple of months. First off are works to clean up Cholmondely Walk including the planting of trees, removal of the old brick planter, extension of the lawned area and re-instatement of granite setts by St Helena Terrace. It is hoped that this work will start in early February. Next will be the removal of the outrageously unsightly chain link fence that runs along the edge of the Terrace Gardens below Richmond Hill. Although we are still consulting on the final details of this project it is anticipated that work will start in mid February.

Across the river in St. Margaret’s we will be restoring the splendid railings along Ranelegh Drive between Richmond Lock and Railshead Road. Just upstream of this Arcadia will be carrying out some landscaping to the seating area between Twickenham Bridge and the railway line at the end of Ducks Walk. This charming little spot is one of my favourites along the Thames reminiscent of the romantic little parks I used to love along the Seine when I lived in Paris. The designers have come up with a wonderfully simple plan for the space, replacing the street lights with Windsor types (the sort that look like Victorian gas lanterns), new seats and a bredon gravel surface.

We have been working with Richmond Council to put new street lights up Richmond Hill and it is now planned for these to be installed in the spring. The type of light chosen for this site is known as ‘Strand’ as they were first designed for The Strand in central London (they are still there and are now used in many historic locations). All new lights will have a clear soft white metal halide bulb and be designed to minimise light pollution. It is also planned, in March, to replace the orange bulbs in the lights along Richmond Riverside with these soft white sorts alongside other improvements such as new litterbins and seating.

There are of course more projects planned for later in the year but we are still designing these at the moment. There are many ways for everyone to get involved in these projects ranging from donations, talks, guided walks or through practical volunteering. The latter is excellent fun and anybody can join in. There are a host of different events planned but the one I am most looking forward to is planned for Saturday 26th February on the Terrace Field. Volunteers are invited to help us rip down the chain link fence and erect a new one set further back in the gardens. It should be great fun.

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