Policy information sourced from the Kingston Upon Thames Core Strategy

T1 Tolworth Key Area of Change

The Council will:

a. Climate Change and Sustainability:

  • assess the potential for District Heat Networks within the Tolworth Tower complex and on the government offices, Toby Jug and Marshall House site

b. Managing and Reducing Flood Risk:

  • implement the recommendations of the SFRA, related studies and surface water management plans, working with the Environment Agency, Thames Water and developers to reduce surface water flooding, particularly in the area of the Sunray Estate

c. Natural and Green Environment:

  • work with partners and operators to promote and improve the range and quality of provision for leisure, recreation and play through the provision of information; the implementation of the Green Spaces Strategy and its Annual Implementation Plans, including:
    • improving Alexandra Recreation Ground, especially play facilities for a wider age group
    • continuing to improve King George’s Field through: improvements to changing facilities and pitch drainage; considering options for the disused bowling green and more planting to enhance biodiversity
  • progress action plans for allotments at Tolworth Main, Knollmead and Ladywood Road to implement the objectives of the Council’s Allotment Strategy
  • protect and enhance biodiversity through:
    • continuing to manage Tolworth Court Farm Fields as a Local Nature Reserve
    • progressing the designation of Tolworth Court Farm Manor site as a Local Nature Reserve and implementing the approved Management Plan
    • planting and habitat creation on other green spaces, e.g. meadow and tree planting at King George’s Field
    • protecting and improving connections between green spaces (green corridors) to allow species to move and spread

d. Sustainable Travel:

  • reduce the dominance and severance effect of the A240 and A3 strategic road network on Tolworth and the adverse impact of traffic and congestion through:
    • partnership work with TfL and the preparation and implementation of a public realm design strategy for the A240 corridor and the careful design of pedestrian, cycling, parking and servicing facilities on Tolworth Broadway, Ewell Road and Kingston Road
    • improvements to the quality and convenience of connections for pedestrians, people with disabilities and cyclists, including across Tolworth Broadway, by removing the central barrier, across the Tolworth Tower site from Ewell Road to Tolworth Broadway and across the A3 and Tolworth roundabout
    • measures to improve the safety and efficiency of the A240 corridor, e.g. crossing and junction improvements, smarter travel initiatives, including workplace and school travel plans, and provision of car club bays to encourage mode shift and reduce car use
  • promote public transport improvements through lobbying and partnership work with transport providers (TfL, South West Trains and Network Rail) including:
    • the extension of the 281 bus service from the rear of Tolworth Tower across the A3 to serve Tolworth Station, housing and facilities south of the A3 
    • more frequent trains, including after 9pm
    • improvements to the appearance and functioning of Tolworth Station and forecourt, access to the platforms, interchange between bus and rail services and secure cycle parking
  • maintain on-street parking capacity in the District Centre and introduce a user hierarchy
  • work with Tolworth Tower owners to rationalise the parking regime, reduce long-stay office parking and increase public short-stay shopper/visitor parking
  • provide convenient secure cycle parking for short and long-stay use, and motorcycle parking including at Tolworth Tower, Tolworth Station and along Tolworth Broadway/Ewell Road
  • increase provision of continuous segregated cycle routes including along the A240 corridor, between Red Lion Road and King Charles Road, on the south side of Jubilee Way, and between schools and housing
  • reduce delivery, servicing and road user conflict by improving the provision of on-street loading bays, the functioning of rear and off-street service areas, e.g. at Tolworth Close, Broadoaks and Tolworth Tower, and information/signage
  • improve connections between leisure facilities/green spaces and housing, including a new pedestrian route from Knollmead (Sunray Estate) to Kingston Road
  • continue to work in partnership to secure improvements to the Hogsmill Valley Walk and along the Bonesgate Stream retain and recognise the strategic importance of the Strategic Rail Freight Site located south of Tolworth station off Kingston Road for the sustainable movement of aggregates and its significance for aggregate supply to London and Surrey. Future use should enhance the use of the railhead to reduce road movements of aggregates.

e. Character, Design, and Heritage:

  • reinforce the character and identity of Tolworth to enhance its attraction as a place to live, work and enjoy through public realm improvements and promoting and managing development opportunities on the government offices, Toby Jug and Marshall House site, sites along Kingston Road and within the Tolworth Tower complex
  • adopt and implement a public realm and urban design strategy to significantly improve the appearance and attractiveness of the A240 corridor (from Red Lion Road along Ewell Road, Tolworth Broadway, Tolworth roundabout and Kingston Road to Jubilee Way), in particular restoring Tolworth Broadway into a more people friendly street, improving the approaches to Tolworth and pedestrian connections and integrating new development so that it contributes to the overall enhancement of the area
  • seek to retain the prevailing character of Tolworth’s residential areas with their large areas of family houses with gardens
  • retain the Aggregates Depot, Kingston Road, Tolworth with vehicle access to the site from Kingston Road. Any future development on the site should make effective use of the rail head and be designed to minimise its visual impact and noise and disturbance outside the site on Metropolitan Open Land and on residential properties north of the railway. Very high quality landscaping will be required on the southern perimeter of the site.
  • require any residential development on the ‘government offices, Toby Jug and Marshall House site’ to be planned, laid out, and designed to take into account surrounding land uses and, in particular, it should not prejudice the existing or permitted use and operation of the Aggregates Depot, Kingston Road, Tolworth which comprises a Strategic Rail Freight Site.

f. Housing and Affordability:

  • transform the area’s poor quality environment and develop the area’s character by introducing new recreation and leisure facilities and pedestrian and cycle routes
  • ensure the Hogsmill River, that bisects the area, is utilised to establish a character for the area, balancing opportunities for access with the needs of habitat protection

f. Housing and Affordability:

  • work with developers and landowners to provide a range of new homes, in particular on the government offices, Toby Jug and Marshall House site; on the Tolworth Tower complex and on the Red Lion PH site, to include family housing with gardens outside the District Centre and higher density flats with amenity space within the District Centre

g. Economy and Employment and Town Centres:

  • work with partners to promote Tolworth as a business location, attract new businesses to strengthen the local economy, reduce the level of vacant floorspace and increase job opportunities
  • seek to strengthen the vitality and viability of the District Centre through work with private sector land and property owners to improve the diversity of shopping and local services, enhance its attraction and competitiveness, increase visitor numbers, dwell time and spend. There are particular opportunities on the Tolworth Tower complex and the Ewell Road/Red Lion Road corner for mixed-use development. New housing will also generate additional population and spend
  • increase visitor accommodation including through the provision of a new hotel on the 12 Kingston Road site

h. Local Centres:

  • continue to protect the designated Local Centres on Ewell Road (South) and Alexandra Drive

i. Healthy and Safer Communities:

  • work with local health providers to expand and improve GP provision which is at capacity and in need of upgrading through the provision of a new facility (for relocated practices), e.g. on the Toby Jug/government offices site or the Tolworth Tower complex, and the improvement of existing facilities, e.g. on the Sunray Estate
  • support the development of the Surbiton Hospital site to provide a range of healthcare services including diagnostics, out-patients and GP provision
  • support in-principle the upgrading of facilities for mental health services at Tolworth Hospital
  • work with the Metropolitan Police and the private sector to secure the provision of a base for the Tolworth and Hook Rise police officers within or closer to its policing area, e.g. on or near to Tolworth Broadway

j. Education:

  • expand and remodel schools to provide sufficient school places to meet increasing demand and changing needs including the expansion of Tolworth Infants and Junior School and the potential remodelling/rebuilding of Southborough Boys and Tolworth Girls

k. Community Facilities

  • investigate opportunities to provide additional meeting space/space for classes, youth facilities, indoor leisure and recreation facilities (to address deficiencies in provision for badminton, squash, fitness and swimming) through:
    • adapting/improving existing facilities
    • providing new facilities on development sites, e.g. former government offices, Jubilee Way site
    • co-locating facilities

For more information please see the Kingston Upon Thames Core Strategy