Proposals to transform the site have been revived five years on
Plans to build two apartment blocks along the River Thames in South London have been revived. Department store chain Fenwick is bringing forward proposals for 145 new homes at Thames Side Wharf, just north of John Lewis in Kingston town centre.
The new homes would be built in two blocks – one 12 storeys tall and the other 10 storeys – between Vicarage Road and Water Lane. The scheme would transform the site, which has stood empty for years, into a publicly accessible waterfront.
Fenwick and developer Define Land are consulting on the plans, which include a new riverside restaurant and green spaces with seats, plants and play areas. Better walking and cycling routes between the town centre and the Thames are also included in the proposals.
It comes five years after Fenwick brought forward proposals for two taller apartment blocks on the site in 2021 – one 16 storeys tall and the other 13 storeys – which drew opposition from locals concerned they were too tall.
The developers said the revised proposals would bring a “long-vacant brownfield site on Kingston’s riverside… back into use as a new, publicly accessible waterfront destination”. The site is very close to Kingston Station.
Shaun Lyons, Director at Define Land, said: “Thames Side Wharf is one of the most prominent sites on Kingston’s riverside, yet it has sat vacant and cut off from the town centre for far too long.
“Our proposals are about opening it back up to the town and river, creating a public space that everyone can enjoy, with new places to eat, meet and spend time, and much-needed new homes in the heart of the town centre.
“We’d encourage local people to come along to the exhibition, see the plans for themselves and share their views.”
A public exhibition on the scheme is being held at Anstee House, Wood Street, from 10am to 1pm on September 19. Residents and businesses can also submit feedback on the plans online, which will be considered by the developers before they submit a formal planning application to Kingston Council in autumn.
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