Protect Mereway Nature Park

For the good of the environment and wildlife and to maximize the leisure and health amenity and benefit for the current and future community.
i. e. Maximization of social benefit.

The site should be returned to public open space under the control of LBRuT's Parks Department and integrated into the Mereway Nature Park. LBRuT's partnership with a number of environmentally sympathetic organizations has achieved fantastic results with the development of the current Nature Park. They will be thanked by many future generations if the site is developed in a similar way as an extension to the existing Mereway Nature Park.

The keys points for this are :

1. The small number of 7 affordable housing properties can be accommodated elsewhere in the borough eg the nearby Greggs Bakery site development proposal for some 116 houses. An extra housing development will negatively impact the existing natural environment / park. Its unique location adjacent to an existing major Nature Park means the site is a natural candidate for inclusion in the existing Nature Park and will never again be available if the housing option is taken.

2. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop the site for the good of the environment, wildlife and the whole wider community (current and future) in terms of leisure and health.

3. Adding the 7 affordable housing properties to the larger (116 houses) nearby Greggs site housing development gives a win-win solution - proper care and development of outdoor spaces for current and future generations; and proper provision of required affordable housing with less negative impact.

4. The congestion in the local area is already a problem. In this cul-de-sac location, even this relatively small development will have a disproportionately large negative impact and will cause claustrophobic overcrowding in an already densely populated area together with the resultant traffic congestion.

5. Any individual / personal benefit derived by the 7 new owners in the prospective development is counter-balanced by the major significant negative impact on a similar number of existing residents of houses in Mereway Road and Barneby Close that are directly adjacent to the site.

6. In summary the maximum social benefit will be gained by returning the site to public open space under the management of the partnership that has developed the Mereway Nature Park.

Please sign the petition and remember when you do, to tick the box to get email updates so we can keep you in touch with progress and suggestions, as we develop our action plan.

Please share the link to this petition with your contacts and put on your social media accounts by copy and pasting :

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/protectmerewaypark

Please also submit your own objection on the Richmond & Twickenham Council Planning webpage. Insert the ref 23/0260/FUL in the search box at the following link and you can make your comments online :

https://www.richmond.gov.uk/services/planning/comment_on_a_planning_application.

Or you can email your comments direct to the Planning Officer making the decision on this application Thomas Faherty - [email protected]

There is a small team, the Mereway Action Committee that is developing and implementing plans to achieve the objectives outlined here. Help will be greatly appreciated. If you can and want to help with the campaign please send us an email by clicking on the email / envelope symbol next to the photo at the top of this page. NB to access this page if you are not already on a device go to the following link : https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/protectmerewaypark