Kingston upon Thames Society Committee: July 2012

July was a relatively quiet month for the Committee but we still found a few topics to discuss at length.

Role of the Society

Last month we discussed the extent to which we should get involved in matters like traffic and licensing that are not concerned with the built environment per se but they do have an impact on the wider environment. That debate was inconclusive but needs to be had with the Society as a whole so we will be doing that at our October meeting.

Cycling

I do not recall how we got on to this subject, interesting though it is. RBK seems keen to promote Kingston as a place to cycle in and/or through which I can only assume is based on the fact that they have never tried to do so. The cycle routes in Kingston disappear suddenly in the centre forcing cyclists to chose between fighting against traffic or fighting against pedestrians, both of whom see cyclists as an annoyance.

Tesco

The main item, and debate, was on a new planning application by Tesco for a store and housing on derelict land just south of the A3 in Tolworth.

The Committee was divided, as we usually are on such matters, though the debate was much less heated this time. Nobody particularly liked the proposal but some of us thought that it was better than what is there now (not difficult) while others thought that the scheme lacked imagination and packed the site too much.

In the end we agreed to neither support or oppose the scheme, which I think was the right thing for us to do.

Heritage Open Days

The HoD brochure was in production was due to go out with next newsletter. I'll get hold of a PDF copy when it is ready and will push that through the social media circles.