Dear Neighbour

What a dog-eat-dog business property development is.

We received this letter yesterday from Croudace Homes.

In it they say:

“We are also aware of the proposals for development at Kempton Park for up to 2000 new homes and the potential adverse impacts on the local road network that this could bring. It is our view that smaller sites, such as ours, which can accommodate around 125 homes, are more suitable as they can be evenly distributed across the District.”

i.e. “support our proposed development because it is marginally less appalling than the plans of Redrow and The Jockey Club.”

Croudace want to build on Green Belt, of course – almost next door to where a previous application to build at The Old Nursery site on Fordbridge Road was refused a couple of months ago.

They claim that their proposed 125 homes would only generate 74 additional car journeys each morning and evening. And they promise financial contributions to local facilities and services, and the provision of affordable homes. This is all in a booklet titled “VISION DOCUMENT” which you may also have had stuffed through your front door.

IMPAIRED VISION, more like. Have they ever tried to get onto the road to Walton Bridge in the morning or evening, or tried to join the road to Hampton Court through the Thames Water works at the other end of Lower Sunbury. Even “only” 74 extra cars on the road each morning would make things a lot worse, although 125 dwellings would generate many more additional journeys than that. Never mind the fact that the Green Belt land that separates Sunbury and Halliford is what makes this part of the world what it is. And as to the financial contributions and affordable homes, we’ve heard it all before: promises, promises, promises that developers suddenly discover they cannot afford.

Instead of denigrating each others’ equally awful schemes, and rather than trying to get approval for their plans through the back door by seeking to influence the review of our Local Plan, perhaps this should all be settled by an all-in wrestling tournament for developers early next year. Last team standing gets their plan approved. The bookies from Kempton Park could add some additional pitch-side interest. A fun day out for all the family. It would certainly liven up the dull weeks after Christmas. We could hold it at the London Irish ground off The Avenue.

Oh, we’ve just remembered, That open space is now covered with concrete.

Kind regards 

Keep Kempton Green