Cathy Cooper wrote letter on local community website – Twickenham Online and was subsequently contacted by Angela Kidner of The Environment Trust for Richmond and invited to their next project meeting.
Cathy Cooper writes to council requesting Conservation Area status for the area
Cathy Cooper writes to Richard Brookes, Conservation Officer, requesting Conservation Area status on the buildings and surrounding roads.
T.R.A.C. make contact with councillors and barrister to discuss way forward
Ewan MacDonald – 53 Talbot met with barrister to seek advice on planning application and gets very interesting feedback . Cllr Clare Head attended meeting in Peter Lineham’s house No 51 Talbot Road, with a small group of residents from Talbot and Hamilton Roads. She was very positive about the campaign and gave very good advice.
Residents fears allayed over plans for Victorian industrial site
Article on Richmond & Twickenham Times website, 4 November 2005:
http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/search/display.var.648126.0.residents_fears_allyed_over_plans_for_victorian_industrial_site.php
T.R.A.C. members start putting information sheets through resident’s doors
T.R.A.C. members started putting information sheets through resident’s doors advising them on how to object to the proposals. Residents of Hamilton who had seen the plans on the Waitrose notice board were doing the same so we agreed to unite our efforts
T.R.A.C. members attend Area Consultation Meeting
T.R.A.C. members attended Area Consultation Meeting and met the South Ward Councillors – David Marlow, Clare Head and Doug Orchard. We talked to Clare Head who was also opposed to the plans and she suggested a small meeting with herself and residents to offer advice on how to stage our campaign.
Campaign to save HEW started
The campaign started on the 28 October 2005 when a few residents in Talbot Road received a letter from the council informing them of a proposed Planning Application on the site of the old Electricity Works. Other residents in Hamilton Road saw a planning application notice on the board outside Waitrose and later one was put on a lamppost at the top of their road.
After immediately viewing the plans at the council offices and on the council planning website, residents in Talbot Road quickly declared themselves an action group – Talbot Road Action Committee – T.R.A.C. to get a campaign started.
The plans showed a huge development (Hamilton Lofts) on the site of 37 Hamilton Road (electricity works). The design was over large and inappropriate for the area with a total of 29 units, 6 live/work units and only 34 car parking spaces and those mostly in an underground car park. The plan would entail demolishing all but one of the Victorian buildings.