Progress has been made on plans to transform a South West London park by knocking down a dilapidated building and replacing it with new facilities, but a local councillor has warned there are “many hurdles yet to overcome”.
More than 1,000 Richmond residents threw their support behind plans for Moormead Park in St Margarets, Twickenham, after they were submitted in late 2020.
Richmond Council granted planning permission for the scheme, from trust Moormead Community and Sports Pavilion, in January 2022.
The plans include replacing the pavilion in the park with a single-storey building housing a café, kiosk, community space, storage space and public toilets.
A total of 1,139 locals wrote to the council in support of the plans.
One supporter wrote: “Moormead Park is the social and recreational hub of our neighbourhood comprising schools, sports teams, tennis, athletics, fitness classes, dog walking, the outdoor gym, the kids’ play area, the annual St Margarets Fair enjoyed by the whole community, and of course, just being outdoors in a park.
“The pavilion revived could be the centre of the park – with a café and facilities for the local users and visitors.”
Another added: “Thousands of our community members benefit from the park despite sub-standard facilities.
“The new pavilion will safeguard future generations and their commitment to wellbeing, healthier lifestyle, leisure and recreation.”
Kevin Power, deputy director of environment at the council, read out an update from the director of the trust at the council’s environment committee on Monday, July 3.
The update revealed the trust is about to sign off on a contract setting out how responsibilities will be shared between the group and the council, along with the planning agreement.
The update added: “We’re looking to have a meeting soon with the consultants to agree costs from the council side and from those from the trust, and there’s going to be a further general meeting with the council officers and the trustees in about a month from now.”
Overall, Mr Power said “it’s a cautious progress”.
Lib Dem councillor Julia Neden-Watts said: “It’s taken quite a while to get to this stage but that’s my sense as well… that there is good communication between the council and community group but there are many hurdles yet to overcome.”
A planning statement on behalf of Moormead Community and Sports Pavilion, in November 2020, said the development would “result in the provision of new high-quality replacement building that would enhance the overall quality of Moormead Park”.
The statement continued: “It would replace the existing dilapidated and partly derelict pavilion with a new building that would be materially no larger that would accommodate multiple community uses through its flexible, adaptable and inclusive design.”
