NEWS
Staines Park (update Leisure Centre)
The Council’s plans to build a new Leisure Centre on the site of the bowling green, tennis courts and gardens in Staines Park have been abandoned after massive public protest. Another site is being sought, as the option of closing the centre and rebuilding on the original site is apparently unacceptable. We congratulate everyone who spoke up to save Staines Park.
Refurbishment of Council Offices
The long-delayed refurbishment and backlog maintenance at the Council offices at Knowle Green is now being carried out. We deduce that the search for new premises has been given up.
Five Swimmers
The statue of the five swimmers in the Memorial Gardens has been vandalised. The damaged swimmer is in safe keeping and has been inspected by a bronze specialist.
Railway Bridge in High St
After an enquiry by a vigilant member we contacted Network Rail about the shabby condition of the Iron Bridge in the High Street. Network Rail say they are going to replace it in 2021 and so will not repaint it. We will have to put up with it until then, unless one of the firms developing the town centre is willing to fund repainting.
Crooked Billet Roundabout
Highways England want to add another lane to the western approach to the Crooked Billet roundabout from the bypass. This causes a problem with the subway. They therefore propose to close the subway and the footbridge and replace them with a pedestrian/cycle route into and out of the central reservation of the roundabout, a journey involving 4 or 5 road crossings. This may be an improvement for people travelling westward but will be very inconvenient for anyone walking or cycling east or north from Staines or going to the houses NE of the roundabout.
Footpath 18 Staines Moor
The Society is supporting efforts by neighbours and other organisations to oppose the closure of the level crossing on Footpath 18, which links Moor Lane to Staines Moor.
Mill Mead
We are objecting to the blockage of the pavement in Mill Mead, a narrow busy road which is a well-used pedestrian route from Moormede to the High Street.
Land to south side of Staines Bridge
The Friends of the Hythe have set up a community project to improve the derelict land beside the south end of Staines Bridge and restore it to a natural habitat for wildlife and people.
Former North Thames Gas Site 17 – 51 London Road
Berkeley Homes applied to build 474 flats in 6 blocks of up to 16 storeys on the Centrica site 17 – 71 London Road, where the unlamented British Gas slab once stood. The blocks would stand in landscaped gardens with a central cafe and pond, over basement parking for 317 cars. No fewer than 100 of the flats would be ‘studios’ of only 42 sq.m. We objected to the large size of the scheme, the small size of the flats, and the lack of commitment to affordable housing, and asked for a pedestrian crossing of Fairfield Avenue which is going to become a very busy road. Eventually the scheme went to the SBC Planning Committee on 14 November with an agreement that one block, of 41 flats, would be social rented housing. After a long debate, mostly about parking, affordable housing, and the impact on neighbouring Ash House, it was refused.
Proposed frontage for the 17-51 London Road site
Bakshish Nightclub, Clarence St
The application by Bakshish for a licence for alcohol, music, dancing, films, football & boxing on a big screen until 1am every night of the year at 5 Thames Edge (ex-Soiree), which horrified those living nearby, seems to have been abandoned. The premises have remained empty.
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