A retrospective bid for 22 flats and a 90-bed hotel at Kingston Bridge House goes to Planning Committee on 14 October, with the Heatham House Family Hub. Meetings 12 to 15 October.
A building on the corner of Church Grove and Hampton Court Road in Hampton Wick has been converted into flats without planning permission. On Wednesday the Planning Committee decides whether to grant it after the event, along with a 90-bed hotel in the same block.
That is the biggest item in a week of five meetings. Here is what each one covers, from the agendas on the council’s committee website.
| Date | Meeting | Main business |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 12 Oct, 2pm | Orleans House Trust | Agenda not published by Sunday |
| Mon 12 Oct, 7.30pm | Licensing Sub-Committee (online) | Crane & Tap, Twickenham: match-day drinks rule |
| Tue 13 Oct, 7pm | Regulatory Committee | Listed as moved; no agenda published |
| Wed 14 Oct, 7pm | Planning Committee, York House | Kingston Bridge House, Heatham House, a Twickenham tree |
| Thu 15 Oct, 1.30pm | Health and Wellbeing Board, York House | Neighbourhood health, SEND plan, safeguarding reports |
Monday: the Crane & Tap
The licensing sub-committee hears the Crane & Tap’s bid to drop the rule that limits it to serving alcohol with table meals on big stadium days. We reported the application and the four objections last week. The meeting is online and webcast.
Wednesday: Kingston Bridge House
The application. Westcombe Developments Ltd applied in February for retrospective permission to turn Kingston Bridge House into 22 flats and a 90-bed hotel (PA26/0355, officer’s report). The L-shaped building, on a site of about 0.28 hectares, was Kingston University student accommodation with 216 bedrooms in 39 flats. It was vacated in 2020.
What has already happened. The report says the residential part was “substantially complete as of May 2026”. The cladding has been stripped from the Hampton Court Road wing. An enforcement case, EN26/0205, is open. Permission for 70 flats was granted in April 2024 but never used.
What the scheme contains:
- 22 flats, of which 4 would be shared ownership: two for households earning up to £60,000 and two for households earning up to £90,000
- a 90-bed hotel taking 3,716 square metres, two thirds of the floorspace
- 23 car parking spaces and a car club bay, with residents barred from parking permits
- a wider footpath at the corner of Church Grove and Hampton Court Road
Affordable housing. Four homes out of 22 is 18%, against the council’s 35% target. Officers say independently reviewed viability evidence shows more is not achievable, and the legal agreement would include reviews if the position changes.
Money. The legal agreement would include a carbon offset payment of £443,592, £15,044.79 for Kings Field playground and £20,000 towards local employment agreements.
Objections. Three letters of objection were received during the consultation, which ran from 11 February to 13 March. They concern parking stress in Church Grove and nearby streets, hotel traffic and congestion, including during the Hampton Court Flower Show.
Recommendation. Officers recommend approval, delegated to the Director of Place Planning once the legal agreement is signed.
Wednesday: Heatham House, Twickenham
The council is its own applicant here. It wants to build a “summer house” in the garden of Heatham House Youth Centre on Whitton Road and refurbish the garage, so that the Grade II listed house can become the borough’s second Family Hub, after the White House in Hampton, with an outdoor nursery (PA25/4053 and the listed building consent, officer’s report).
The site is Metropolitan Open Land, so the building counts as inappropriate development unless “very special circumstances” outweigh the harm. The council’s own conservation officer objected to the summer house’s size, judging it would cause “less than substantial harm” at the lower end to the setting of the listed building. The structure was moved during the application and now sits about 24 metres from the house.
Officers conclude the community benefits outweigh the harm and recommend approval.
Wednesday: a horse chestnut in Twickenham
The committee also decides whether to confirm a tree preservation order on a mature horse chestnut in a back garden on Queens Road, Twickenham, after the owner gave notice of plans to fell it (TP26-0011, officer’s report). Officers say the tree can be seen from Queens Road, Sherland Road, Station Road and the bridge by Twickenham station. One objection was received. The recommendation is to confirm the order without changes.
Thursday: the Health and Wellbeing Board
The board meets at 1.30pm at York House (agenda). On the agenda:
- an update on neighbourhood health teams in Richmond
- a midpoint review of the “18 Steps to Health and Wellbeing” strategy published in 2024
- progress on the SEND Futures Plan, which also aims to make the SEND budget sustainable
- the Kingston and Richmond Safeguarding Children’s Partnership annual report for 2025/26
- the Richmond Safeguarding Adults Board annual report for 2025/26
Members of the public can raise an issue with the board for up to three minutes by emailing democratic.services@richmond.gov.uk before noon on Wednesday 14 October.
Coming up
- Mon 19 Oct, 7pm: Licensing Sub-Committee hears the Marzamemi Festival application for Richmond Green.
- Tue 20 Oct, 11am: Licensing Sub-Committee, online; agenda not yet published.
- Tue 20 Oct, 7pm: Audit, Standards and Statutory Accounts Committee.
- Thu 22 Oct, 7pm: Policy and Performance Review Board.
How to take part
To speak at the Planning Committee, register after the agenda is published by calling 020 8891 1411 or through the council’s apply to speak page. All the meetings at York House are webcast on richmond.public-i.tv. Our planning in Richmond page explains how applications reach the committee.
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