Policy information sourced from the Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan

PBS7 Kew (G)

Future development in this place is expected, where relevant, to:

  • Conserve the high-quality, traditional, frontages along the parade area by Kew Gardens Station, with opportunities for retaining and enhancing the “spill-out” of venues, including restaurants, cafés and pubs, to maintain a sense of activity and vibrancy.
  • Improve wayfinding at the Station and across the town centre to places of interest such as Sandycombe Road, National Archives and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Preserve the openness of the parklands and the riverside, by resisting development which would affect this perception, and restoring historic elements where appropriate.
  • In areas deficient in access to Public Open Space, consider opportunities to improve access to existing spaces, either through design and public realm improvements, or where opportunities arise, provide new publicly accessible open space. Where open spaces are currently not publicly accessible, their availability for public access and use will be encouraged.
  • Support greening through conserving and enhancing street trees and planted front gardens with shrubs, small trees and hedges with a focus on biodiversity improvements.
  • Contribute to conserving and enhancing the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Heritage Site and surrounds in accordance with Policy 32 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Heritage Site.
  • Contribute to conserving and enhancing the significance of the Old Deer Park historic landscape and its features, as set out in the Old Deer Park SPD, including strengthening the southern boundary to reduce the impact and potential encroachment of sports developments, adjacent townscape, and Twickenham Road, on the registered park and garden and conservation area. Support the continued sporting and complementary uses at Pools on the Park and surroundings and Richmond Athletic Association Ground, Old Deer Park.
  • Improve and transform parts of East Kew by improving the sense of place, public access and legibility, along with establishing more green infrastructure, particularly street trees.
  • Enhance the connectedness of the Thames Path route within the wider Kew townscape and to the adjacent open spaces.
  • Contribute to promoting active travel and reducing the dominance of vehicle traffic, including along Mortlake Road (A205) and Kew Road (A307) to reduce their severing impact.

There are opportunities in parts of East Kew for development to positively contribute to improving the character and addressing negative qualities, creating a sense of activity with an inviting public realm as part of a coherent strategy, to improve permeability and active travel links. At Kew Retail Park (Site Allocation 31) there is the opportunity for comprehensive residential-led redevelopment to include a range of commercial uses, improve the public realm, active travel and links to the River Thames.There is a tall building zone opportunity (7 storeys), surrounded by a mid-rise buffer to provide for a transition to the more modest surrounding area, in accordance with Policy 45 Tall and Mid-Rise Building Zones. Redevelopment at Kew Biothane (Site Allocation 32) is expected to deliver a residential use with associated open space provision.The protection and enhancement of sporting uses and facilities is supported at Pools on the Park (Site Allocation 33) and Richmond Athletic Ground (Site Allocation 34) at the Old Deer Park.

See details in the Site Allocations within this area:

  • Kew Retail Park, Bessant Drive, Kew
  • Kew Biothane Plant, Mellis Avenue, Kew
  • Pools on the Park and surroundings, Old Deer Park, Richmond
  • Richmond Athletic Association Ground, Old Deer Park, Richmond

For more information please see the Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan