He concluded his letter, “Historic Royal
Palaces is responsible not only for conserving
and maintaining the palaces in its care, but
also for seeking to protect the settings of
their important historic sites. The significance
of Hampton Court Palace, its gardens and estate
is beyond question. The palace’s setting by the
river Thames, which survives largely intact, was
a key attraction for the kings and queens who
built and used it and remains so for all who
visit it. Whilst we recognise that improvement
of the Hampton Court station area is badly
needed, we will continue to argue that the
former Jolly Boatman site should remain
undeveloped and should be landscaped as an
extension to Cigarette Island in order to
protect the vitally important setting of the
palace.
We maintain that an appropriate planning
solution for the whole site included in this
application must recognise the historic
significance of the area and the criteria
proposed in Historic Royal Palaces’ recent
studies. The application proposals fail to do so
insofar as they address the river frontage and
Palace beyond. We therefore strongly urge the
Council to refuse consent for the development as
proposed in these applications.”
The letter of objection to Elmbridge Borough
Council was accompanied by a Historic Landscape
Assessment and Landscape Development Strategy
for the Hampton Court Station/Jolly Boatman site
study commissioned by Historic Royal Palaces in
2005.
Notes to editors:
For further information and interview
requests please contact Vikki Wood in the Press
Office at Historic Royal Palaces on 020 3166
6166/6304 or email
vikki.wood@hrp.org.uk or visit our website
www.hrp.org.uk
Historic Royal PalacesHistoric Royal
Palaces is the independent charity that looks
after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace,
the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew
Palace. We help everyone explore the story of
how monarchs and people have shaped society, in
some of the greatest palaces ever built.
We receive no funding from the Government or
the Crown, so we depend on the support of our
visitors, members, donors, volunteers and
sponsors.
These palaces are owned by The Queen on
behalf of the nation, and we manage them for the
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
We believe in four principles.
Guardianship: giving these palaces a future
as long and valuable as their past.
Discovery: encouraging people to make links
with their own lives and today’s world.
Showmanship: doing everything with panache.
Independence: having our own point of
view and finding new ways to do our work.
For further information about Historic Royal
Palaces visit our website
www.hrp.org.uk
Registered charity number 1068852
The HCRC is proud to offer Historic Royal
Palaces its support in this matter. Historic
Royal Palaces has for many years been pressing
for the clearing and landscaping of the Jolly
Boatman site offering its own resources and
assistance, in the absence of a successful
enforcement order by the Local Authority.
Two studies were commissioned by HRP in 2004
and 2005, on ways to safeguard and manage the
views, to and from the Palace, titled ‘Hampton
Court Palace Views Management Plan’ and
specifically, ‘Historic Landscape Assessment and
Landscape Development Strategy for the Hampton
Court Station/ Jolly Boatman Site’, prepared by
Colvin and Moggridge, Landscape Architects.
Serious concerns were raised in the reports,
that development of the Boatman site would be
seriously detrimental to the views and visual
landscape of the Palace. Moreover, the rural
character of the adjoining area would be
affected, and recommended that the Elmbridge
Development Brief should be reviewed. (The two
studies can be seen in full at
www.hrp.org.uk)
The report stressed
‘The Hampton Court Station/Jolly Boatman
site is of particular concern, due to its
proximity to the Palace. The weakness of the
Development Brief (Elmbridge Borough Council
1999, see Homepage) for the site, if
followed, could allow considerable harm to
the setting of the Palace’
The HRP report made its own proposals.
‘There should be no built development on the
Jolly Boatman site – the ground should be
re-graded to form a grassy slope down to the
river to open views onto the water, with the
Palace beyond…. The site should be managed
as an extension of the Cigarette Island park
and parkland trees planted along the river
to restore the Arcadian setting of the
Palace’.
‘There should be no built development east
of the station. The station car park should
be retained as a hedged car park, but laid
out with trees to reduce the visual impact
of parked cars on the station site and to
enhance views to, from the Palace, Barge
Walk and the Banqueting House. The open sky
behind the trees, above the level of the
station roof, should be retained to maintain
an illusion of depth of open space’.
The station, designed by Tite should remain
in its current position and should be
restored. It is the principle point of
arrival for Hampton Court Palace’.
An important concern of the HRP and Hampton
Court Rescue Campaign is the impact the
redevelopment scheme will have on the businesses
of our local traders and their livelihood. As a
consequence of the development’s proposed shops,
cafes and restaurants, visitors arriving at, or
returning to the Station, will have little need
to cross over the busy trunk road into Bridge
Road and East Molesey.
HCRC extends all possible assistance to Historic
Royal Palaces, English Heritage and other
partisan groups, in their efforts to bring about
the over-turning of this planned development.