October's Kingston upon Thames Society meeting gave a local property developer, John Miles of Canadian and Portal Estates, the opportunity to explain his company's plans for a complex of properties that they own on the riverside next to Kingston Bridge.

The current building is constructed from relentless red brick and includes a car park just metres from the river so change is welcome.

The proposal is to make much more of the property's location and to provide views across the river to Home Park from restaurants and bars on each floor, and with a roof terrace. All good stuff.

However, most of the audience had some doubts about the plan, particularly the impact it had on the glimpses of the parish church that you get from a few places on Kingston Bridge if you happen to walking over it on the North side. Not many people do and fewer look for the church.

I was pleased, and a little surprised, that when a straw poll was taken at the end that there were a few others who voted with me that the scheme was a good one.