£1.3 billion Stag Brewery development at Mortlake to go ahead
#05: Travellers arrive on Ham Common, Richmond May Fair is back this Saturday, redevelopment of Kew Retail Park are put on hold, council scraps discount on parking permit charges for electric car owners, dog walkers in Richmond and Bushy Parks told to keep dogs on leads, Ham and Petersham Neighbourhood Forum’s AGM, share your views at Whitton and Heathfield Community Conversation, Richmond Art Society Summer Exhibition returns to Landmark Arts Centre, what's on this May at Orleans House Gallery, Chestnut Sunday returns to Bushy Park, ETNA Community Centre in Twickenham turns 40, Richmond Volunteer Fair, sights and smells of the lavender season in full bloom, and more.
START WITH A SMILE: Stuff to cheer us up
🌱 Big Issue's new Big Grow initiative set to transform communities through urban gardening: Big Grow is an innovative urban gardening project aimed at empowering marginalised communities through growing food. The project draws inspiration from the Incredible Edibles program in Todmorden, where public edible landscapes have thrived for 15 years. Similar projects have been replicated in 30 towns across the UK. Transforming public spaces into edible landscapes by teaching valuable skills, Big Grow begins with a pilot project at St George Church in Colgate, Norwich. Read more in the Big Issue.
LOCAL STORIES: Stuff you need to know
🚐 Travellers arrive on Ham Common: A group of travellers has arrived on Ham Common. In a statement Richmond Council said: “We are aware that a group of travellers has arrived on Ham Common. A High Court injunction is in place which restricts unauthorised encampments on this site. Welfare checks have been carried out, and we have started the legal process to ensure the group moves on in line with the injunction as soon as possible.” Last year, travellers moved from Ham Common to Hawker Centre in Kingston and then back onto Richmond’s King George’s Field.
🏗️ £1.3 billion Stag Brewery development at Mortlake to go ahead after 10-year planning battle: A £1.3 billion riverside housing and secondary school scheme on the banks of the River Thames at Mortlake has been given the all clear by the Planning Inspectorate after developers won a 10-year planning battle, reports The Standard. The huge development will deliver 1,075 new homes but only 65 of these will be affordable homes. In addition, the scheme includes a new secondary school with sixth form, plus over 10,000 square metres of commercial space. Councillor Gareth Roberts, Leader of Richmond Council, said the decision provides a clear way forward for one of the borough’s most significant brownfield sites that has long remained underutilised. “While we know this scheme has attracted a mix of views, our priority is to ensure the development delivers real benefits for Mortlake – from new homes and school places to jobs and public spaces,” he said.
🏗️ In the meantime, plans to redevelop Kew Retail Park are put on hold: The future of Kew Retail Park remains uncertain, after plans to redevelop it with up to 1,200 homes and a new M&S store were put on hold, reports MyLondon. Developer St George had put forward plans in 2022 to build up to 1,200 new homes on the site, and invited residents to share their views on the proposed redevelopment of the site. While the developer had indicated a planning application would be submitted in 2023 with the aim of starting construction work in 2024, uncertainty has grown over the future of the site ever since.
🔌 Richmond Council scraps discount on parking permit charges for electric car owners: In a letter to owners of ‘Band A’ vehicles (electric, hybrid and other low emission vehicles), Richmond Council has announced its decision to phase out the discount on parking permit charges and on street and council car park parking charges. Since July 2023, owners of ‘Band A’ vehicles have received a 50% discount. However, the council has decided to phase out the discount from Tuesday 1 July 2025, meaning owners of more environmentally friendly vehicles will now pay the same amount for their parking permits and on street / council car park parking as owners of petrol and diesel vehicles owners. Based on current pricing published on Richmond Council’s website, the cost of a 12 months ‘All day zones’ resident parking permit for ‘Band A’ vehicle will change as follows from 1 July 2025:
First resident parking permit goes up from discounted rate of £71.60 to £143.20
Second resident parking permit goes up from discounted rate of £143.20 to £286.40
Third and subsequent resident parking permit goes up from discounted rate of £214.80 to £429.60
🐕 Dog walkers in Richmond and Bushy Parks told to keep dogs on leads during deer birthing season: The Royal Parks charity has issued a reminder that it is compulsory to keep dogs on leads during deer birthing season in Richmond Park and Bushy Park from 1 May to 31 July, to safeguard vulnerable newborn deer and to ensure the safety of visitors and their dogs. Owners are asked to be on high alert for female deer, avoid areas of long grass and bracken where newly-born deer could be concealed, and stick to the perimeter of the park in case they need to escape.
LOCAL DEMOCRACY: Stuff that affects your neighbourhood
💭 Share your views on neighbourhood planning at Ham and Petersham Neighbourhood Forum’s AGM: Residents are invited to the Ham and Petersham Neighbourhood Forum's annual general meeting taking place at St Thomas Aquinas church on Wednesday 14 May 2025 at 7.30pm. The neighbourhood forum consults widely with the local community to produce a neighbourhood plan that sets out a vision and objectives to help shape the future of the area. The AGM offers residents to learn more about the forum and share their views on the neighbourhood plan.
💭 Whitton and Heathfield Community Conversation – meet your local councillors: For local residents, businesses and community organisations, here’s your opportunity to hold your local councillors to account and share ideas and concerns on key local issues including traffic and congestion, Whitton Community Centre redevelopment, crime and anti-social behaviour, and High Street and shopping parades. This is an in-person event and requires (free) booking:
Date: Monday 12 May 2025
Time: 7pm to 9pm – doors open from 6.30pm
Location: Whitton Community Centre, Percy Road, TW2 6JL
COMMUNITY, CULTURE & EVENTS: Stuff to do, experience and enjoy
🥳 Richmond May Fair is back this Saturday! Over fifty years old and town’s biggest community event that welcomed over 5,000 visitors last year, Richmond May Fair returns to Richmond Green on 10 May. With more than 250 stalls, the day will feature a host of fun and entertainment including local bands, choirs, dance groups, dog show and great food – the event promises to be a great day out for the whole family. More information including a full list of stalls are available here.
🎨 Richmond Art Society Summer Exhibition returns to Landmark Arts Centre: Richmond Art Society Summer Exhibition returns this June at the Landmark Arts Centre in Teddington. Taking place from 26 to 29 June, the exhibition will include works by members of the society covering a variety of formats including paintings, collage, sculpture, ceramics, mixed-media, and photography. All works at this free-to-attend exhibition are for sale. The exhibition will also feature the winners and highly commended entrants to this year’s Richmond Art Prize. Anyone wishing to submit their work for the Richmond Art Prize can do so here – you have until 17 May 2025 to do so.
🎨 What's on this May at Orleans House Gallery: Orleans House Gallery invites visitors this May to sip on Horsebox coffee, join a Cultural Reforesting guided tour, and get involved as a volunteer at the Richmond Art and Ideas Festival. We say, absolutely!
🟢 Join Bowl’s Big Weekend for a free taster session this May across Richmond: Three local bowls clubs have signed up for Bowl’s Big Weekend to give residents a free opportunity to try out the sport in a friendly and relaxed environment. Take along family, friends or colleagues and enjoy a free taster session at Teddington, Hampton and Strawberry Hill Bowls Clubs. More information and contact details for each club are available here. Free sessions take place as follows:
Teddington Bowls Club – 26 May
Hampton Bowls Club – 24 May and 22 June
Strawberry Hill Bowls Club – 11 May and 26 May
🌰 Chestnut Sunday returns to Bushy Park this Sunday: The annual Chestnut Sunday celebrations return to Bushy Park this Sunday 11 May. Kicking off at 12.30pm with a parade along Chestnut Avenue, the day offers an afternoon of entertainment, history, and delicious food, perfect for families, history enthusiasts, and the local community. Some of the highlights include pony rides, horse riding demonstrations, live music, and special displays commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day. More information including how to access the car park is available here.
🎉 Join ETNA Community Centre’s 40th Anniversary Celebration! ETNA Community Centre in Twickenham turns 40 and they’re having a party and we’re all invited! Festivities kick off at 12 noon on 18 May with live music and performances. Also on the menu are bouncy castle, face painting, plus a variety of food options including hot dogs, Turkish pancakes and cream teas. More information and address details are available here.
✋ Richmond Volunteer Fair 2025: Volunteering is a great way to develop your own skills and make a contribution to your local community. So, if you’ve been thinking about how to give back, pop along to Richmond Volunteer Fair at Richmond and Hillcroft Adult and Community College on Wednesday 21 May. It's a great opportunity to meet local charities, community groups and other organisations that are actively recruiting volunteers. It's also the perfect chance to have a chat with others who are already volunteering.
SPORTS DAY: Stuff about enjoying your local teams
🏉 Harlequins, Gallagher Premiership Rugby: Harlequins will look to bounce back from four consecutive defeats when they host Gloucester at the Allianz Stadium this Saturday 10 May. On a positive note, fly-half Marcus Smith has been named in Andy Farrell’s 38-man British & Irish Lions squad to tour Australia this summer.
⚽ Hampton & Richmond FC, Vanarama National League South: With the season now finished and the Beavers safe to enjoy another year in the National League South, we shall bring you intermittent off-season news as the club prepares for the new season.
LONDON CALLING: Stuff to do, experience and enjoy in the big smoke
🎭 Watch the stars tread the boards across London’s theatreland: While here in Richmond we have great theatres across the borough, a few stops on the train in central London, there are more than 100 theatres playing host to classic revivals and emerging talent. Lucky us! Featuring Hollywood stars and best of UK’s acting royalty, here are some of the unmissable theatre shows to check out in 2025, courtesy of Time Out. And these are some of the big-name stars you can expect to see treading the boards: Rosamund Pike, Rachel Zegler, Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman, Ncuti Gatwa, Nicola Walker, Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.
WHAT ELSE? Stuff we couldn’t quite fit anywhere else but thought you’d still find interesting
🪻 Get ready for the sights and smells of the lavender season in full bloom: If you’ve recently enjoyed the sights of cherry blossom and bluebells, prepare yourself for sensory overload that is the sight and smell of pristine purple carpet of lavender fields in full bloom. And unlike fleeting colours of cherry blossom, the lavender season is much longer – running from June to late July. Here are two of the best places in the country to soak in the sights and smells of lavender fields – Mayfield Lavender Farm in Surrey and Castle Farm in Kent.
