This neighbourhood, situated to the East of Twickenham, is a delightful oasis with a plethora of green open spaces. Due to the absence of a rail station, there have been limited housing developments in this neighbourhood, which has allowed the area to maintain its characteristic charm; the majority of houses are in the 20th century suburban style, arranged in closes and courtyards, which have fostered the development of close-knit communities. On any given weekend, there is plenty to do in this neighbourhood, whether that be shooting practice at the Rifle and Pistol Club, or a round of golf at one of the many golf clubs, or perhaps a visit to either Ham House and Garden, or Strawberry Hill House. With Richmond Park just a stones throw away, and the river providing an idyllic border for walks and picnics on a summer’s day, it is no wonder why this neighbourhood is seen as a particularly attractive place to live.

During the latter stages of World War I, some of the land south of Ham Common was sold to the Ministry of Munitions in order to construct an aircraft factory. The National Aircraft Factory No. 2 was built in just 26 weeks in 1917. The factory was leased to an aviation company, who were situated near to this area, and as a result they were able to massively increase their production of Snipe, Dolphin, and Salamander planes. At the end of the war, the demand for these planes stopped, and the aviation company went into administration. The factory was then sold to Leyland Motors, who used the site to recondition ex-War lorries for citizen use. With the outbreak of World War II, production was once again moved towards military vehicles, fire engines, and other munitions. After the war, it was used by the aviation industry, until the site was closed in 1991. The factory was later demolished in 1993, and was subsequently replaced by housing developments.

From the taller hills in Richmond Park, there is an uninterrupted view of St Paul’s Cathedral, which is located 12 miles away in central London. It may also interest you to know that scenes from the film Now You See Me 2, were filmed in this neighbourhood of Ham.

One of the downsides of this neighbourhood is the basic nature of the convenience shops and amenities, forcing residents to go to nearby Kingston-upon-Thames should they need more. Despite this, a lot of residents don’t mind the limited provisions as it means the area remains quaint and undisturbed by large chain stores. Furthermore, there isn’t a train station in this neighbourhood, which is another limitation as it makes travel (especially to central London) a little more difficult.

The most predominant change taking place in the areas surrounding this neighbourhood is the establishment of housing developments; most of these have been completed, or are in their final stages. There are, however, plans to to knock down 192 homes on Ham Close estate and replace them with 452 homes have been put forward. Developer Hill Residential has applied for planning permission to build the new homes across tower blocks up to six storeys tall on the land. The 143 affordable homes for rent on the existing estate will be replaced, along with 78 extra new affordable homes. The homes on the new development would range from one-bed flats to five-bed homes. The Ham Youth Club and community workshop space Richmond Makerlabs would also be replaced under the proposals. There will be a further 809 cycle spaces, 268 car parking spaces and 17 disability spaces on the site, along with new walking and cycling routes through Ham Close. The revenue from the project would be used by Richmond Council to build a new games area at St Richard’s Church of England Primary School. The redevelopment would take place in phases, with building works expected to begin in early 2023 if the plans are approved.