hampton hill association planning & environment committee
The Planning and Environment Committee is a very active one and has been for a good many years – long may it last! Like all committees, sometimes our numbers tend to wane occasionally but perhaps one of the key reasons why we have such an enthusiastic and committed ‘bunch’ is that most of us in Hampton Hill feel fiercely proud of our village and are prepared to put time and effort into keeping it that way. We have many objectives but perhaps the overriding one is to preserve the aesthetic balance of the look and character of our village. We try to keep a sensible and realistic view of change as most of the time it is a positive move forward. We proactively monitor planning applications and the vast majority are very much routine. However, where we have great concern and reservations are such cases where more often than not developers are intent on developing areas of Hampton Hill which in our view is detrimental in so many ways and impacts in a negative way. A vital element, if I can use a planning buzz word is the ‘street scene’ which really encompasses the whole ethos of what Hampton Hill is all about and is a readily accepted Planning term in its own right which certainly carries a lot of weight. We also act in a reactive way and are quite often approached by residents with major issues and if thought appropriate pursue their case and give them advice and support where necessary. This is where strength in numbers plays its part especially when we are well known by the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (LBRUT) planning department for our tenacity and if I may say, our professional approach which we have learnt and refined over of a long period of time. We also consider the commercial impact of plans that not only affect residents but also that of our traders. One recent success in this respect was the loss of an appeal by Sainsbury’s to have a pharmacy at the superstore in Uxbridge Road. If approved this would not only have questioned the possible survival of our chemists in the High Street but also the loss of an amenity for the elderly population who rely on these very local outlets to get their prescriptions and suchlike.  We have objected against many applications over the years and the highly contentious ones result in putting our case to Council. We have had some great successes over time but we have also lost some but at least it shows that we are prepared to fight for what we believe to be right and certainly don’t object just for the sake of it. I trust that has given you an interesting overview of our activities and be assured we will always support and represent the interests of Hampton Hill and its residents so that we can keep our village an attractive and vibrant character we can all enjoy for many years to come. Regards Malcolm Day
Planning & Environment Committee
Hampton Hill Association | 
