Policy NK11 COMMUNITY FACILITIES

 

The Neighbourhood Plan identifies buildings and their curtilages as Community Facilities, as listed in Appendix A.

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Proposals that will lead to the loss of a Community Facility will be resisted, unless there is authoritative evidence that demonstrates the present use is no longer needed and the building and its curtilage are no longer suited to any other community use.

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Proposals to relocate a Community Facility will be supported, provided the replacement facility will be of an appropriate standard to meet the needs of the local community, including, where possible, enabling the dual use of facilities and activities, and will be in a convenient and safe location to serve North Kingston.

 

Proposals to improve the viability of a Community Facility by way of its extension or partial redevelopment will be supported, including, where possible, enabling the dual use of facilities and activities, provided the design of the scheme and the resulting increase in use are appropriate in design terms and will not harm the amenities of adjoining residential properties.

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Proposals for a new community facility at Latchmere Recreation Ground, as shown on the Policies Map, will be supported provided it is in accordance with other relevant policies of the development plan. In addition to the provisions of relevant Local Plan policies, all new parking should be provided off-street, unless an essential justification can be demonstrated.

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5.53 The policy identifies those community facilities (buildings and land) that will be protected from change of use by the application of Core Strategy Policy DM24 and in accordance with the same steer given by London Plan policies S2 – S5.  

 

5.54 All these strategic policies seek to resist the loss of community facilities unless there is evidence to suggest the facility is no longer needed, it has been vacant and marketed for a community use without success or it can be re-provided elsewhere or in a different way. The list of facilities is included in Appendix A and includes all of those facilities that are widely used, appreciated and which support the community’s needs and should therefore be protected from loss. Continuing to have a range of local community services within the neighbourhood which reflect the community’s needs is imperative to ensuring a desirable, well-functioning neighbourhood with strong community cohesion and the long-term potential value of land in community use should therefore not be lost without good reason. Further-more, locally based amenities will help to encourage walking/cycling over driving and are vital to our many less-mobile residents.

 

5.55 In addition to protecting existing facilities, due to the predicted growth in North Kingston over the next few years it is expected that many facilities will need to be upgraded or expanded to meet demand and the policy therefore encourages proposals to enable these facilities to do so to remain viable community assets, in line with Policy CS16, in that it seeks the expansion of services and facilities in areas identified for population growth. In some cases, facilities will struggle to remain economically viable, rather than the limitations of the premises, land or location being the issue. There is also concern that the provision of any new community facility e.g. a new school, will still be inaccessible to the community after school closing times. It would therefore be advantageous to the community to have the design of any new or refurbished school to be flexibly designed to allow segregation for other community uses at other times. The Forum has identified that there is community support for a community/cultural hub alongside specialist care facilities, and it supports the expression of interest by Kingston Adult Education in returning to the North Kingston Area following the closure of their base in the area to accommodate The Kingston Academy. Policy CS16 supports the co-location of facilities and the neighbourhood plan policy therefore encourages the partial redevelopment of facilities that will ensure that they remain viable but requires the resulting increase in use to be appropriate in terms of design terms and to avoid harming the amenities of adjoining residential properties.  

 

5.56 Respondents to the consultation into the initial Draft Neighbourhood Plan in 2019 agreed that new development should contribute to additional amenities necessitated by the proposals.

 

5.57 Policy CS16 also supports the provision of new facilities in accessible locations. Latchmere Recreation Ground lies close to the community it serves and residents support the idea of a pavilion on the site. Friends of Latchmere Recreation Ground and Kingston Little League are developing proposals for a multiuse pavilion, incorporating changing rooms, toilets, hire space and a café. The policy therefore makes provision to support such proposals, but other planning policies will still need to be addressed. The Forum has also identified the project as a contender to attract investment via the Community Infrastructure Levy (see Section 6).

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Policy NK12: Access & Movement

 

The Neighbourhood Plan identifies the following pedestrian and cycle routes on the Policies Map where there are opportunities to improve their function and capacity as part of the London Plan’s Healthy Streets Approach: 

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• Pedestrian walkway between Tiffin Girl School and TKA

• Richmond Road through Horsley Drive to the River Thames cycling path

• Elm Crescent to Elm Recreation Ground

• Elm Road to Elm Recreation Ground via Onslow House

• Acre Road to Elm Road via passage way to side of St Luke’s School

• Lowther Road to Florence Road

• Elm Road through to Acre Road beside The Wych Elm public house and Murray House

•  Burnham Street to Coombe Road

• Towpath and walking and cycling routes through Canbury Gardens and along the river from Kingston town to the border with Richmond

• Orchard Walk

• Pedestrian path Pedestrian path linking Lower Ham Road with Albany Park Road

•  Anne Boleyn’s Walk to Latchmere Close

• Grosvenor Gardens to Lower Ham Road

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Proposals to develop land adjoining a route must have regard to its value to pedestrians and/or cyclists and, wherever possible, seek to enhance its function, appearance and safety.

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5.58 The London Plan requires development plans to deliver patterns of land use that facilitate residents making shorter, regular trips by walking or cycling as part of the wider Healthy Streets approach of its Policy T2. Policy NK12 complements the other spatial policies of the Neighbourhood Plan by identifying specific opportunities to actively encourage walking and cycling through North Kingston as part of a wider programme of actions.

 

5.59 The community engagement work highlighted the importance of enhancing the cycle and pedestrian environment of the primary road network through the area, especially at its gateways and junctions improved (with signage and pedestrian and cycle crossings). The smaller local roads and shopping parades should also be enhanced with improved pedestrian realms and green connectivity. The result should be an area with safe and attractive place for all ages to walk and cycle in which residents and visitors drive through with care and respect. During the consultation on the initial Draft Neighbourhood Plan in 2019 80% of respondents supported for “active” travel in North Kingston. Similarly, 90% of respondents agreed that many existing open spaces in North Kingston could benefit from improvement.

 

5.60 The area would also benefit from better connectivity to Richmond Park, the River Thames and Kingston town centre and as well as to its schools and open spaces.