English Heritage backs Jolly Boatman plans

4:40pm Thursday 21st August 2008

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Plans to redevelop a controversial site close to Hampton Court Palace moved a step closer this week when the organisation which protects the country’s historic environment backed the plans.

As English Heritage announced it was withdrawing its objections to the redevelopment of the area around Hampton Court Station - opposite the palace - the Royal British Legion put forward a grant of £2.05 million to Royal Star and Garter Homes to support a dementia care wing at the planned new care home, which is part of the proposed development.

An updated proposal drawn up by developer the Gladedale Group, in consultation with Network Rail and the homes was submitted to Elmbridge Council in June to run alongside a planning application put in last October after concerns were raised about the first set of designs.

English Heritage has said this scheme - which includes a refurbished station building, a different hotel design and the care home - is “acceptable” in principle and Gladedale has also received the support of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe), the Government’s urban design adviser.

In a letter to Elmbridge Council, Cabe state: “The current, neglected, status of the site, with the low quality station entrance and car park, poor public realm and highways infrastructure, is clearly unacceptable.

“The scheme greatly improves the public realm and transport interchange facilities, and has the potential to be an extremely pleasant place to visit and live.”

Tim Jones, from English Heritage, stated in an official response: “The designs submitted represent the most appropriate response to the site.”

Hampton Court Rescue Campaign, founded to fight previous proposals for the site - known as the Jolly Boatman site - believe the site should remain as open space and submitted a 3,000 signature petition to the council earlier this month.

Paul Lemar, land and planning director for Gladedale Group, said: “The endorsement of English Heritage and CABE is enormously important for the project and rather undermines the arguments of opponents who claim that the development will have a detrimental impact on the views from the palace.”

If the new home for ex-servicemen and women gets the go-ahead it will house 60 elderly and frail former members of the armed forces and will include a 13-bed dementia care wing, the construction of which will be covered by the grant.

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