Hampton Court Rescue Campaign

Network Rail and the Gladedale Group, the latest owner of the Jolly Boatman site, held a public exhibition in July 2006. Together they set out their plans for the regeneration of the area of Hampton Court Station.

An overview of the proposed development, 2007

Owning previously separate portions of land, they entered into a joint venture enabling the redevelopment of the Station site of approximately 3.0 acres and the Jolly Boatman of 0.5 acre, in an integrated scheme. The area for development encompassing; the Railway Station car park, the forecourt onto Hampton Court Road and the Jolly Boatman site on the riverside.

Replacement parking for rail users and residents of the new development, to be provided in a two-storey underground car park. Detailed designs were unavailable in 2006, but the artists' impressions were of a modern, urban style. At that time, four mixed-use development options were presented, consisting of 130 new homes, an 80-bedroom hotel and a mixture of shops, offices and restaurants/cafes, but by the close of 2006 Gladedale conceded that in response to 'public consultation', the regeneration plans were to be reviewed. In addition Gladedale announced that it had been in discussion with the Royal Star and Garter Homes Charity, relocating from Richmond. Provision would be made for a new Care Home within the scheme, for their 60 disabled ex-Service men and women. Positioned at the far, southern end of the present car park and adjacent to the railway line. Finally, in November 2007, Gladedale's long-awaited, revised Planning Application was presented to the public.


The present view over the river to the Jolly Boatman site and Station beyond, where development is proposed.	The view over the river to the hotel building on the Jolly Boatman site, facing the world-renowned Tudor architecture of Hampton Court Palace. At 76 feet high, the planned building will dwarf the notable Sir William Tite station buildings.

The two options superimposed:

Hotel superimposed over the existing view showing how large the new building will look.

Below shows the position where the view was taken on the Hampton Court Palace riverbank.

The proposed Royal Star and Garter Care Home sited at the southern end of the site, as viewed from Cigarette Island.

The front elevations of the Sir William Tite Station building onto Hampton Court Way, dwarfed by the surrounding buildings.

The proposed buildings of mixed retail/residential use onto Hampton Court Way.

The Brief offers the following recommendations

'That building anywhere on the site should not exceed three storeys plus a pitched roof'

And

'The development should not dominate the existing station building, is below the tree canopy of the park and masses appropriately with the East Molesey Conservation Area buildings'.

For many years Historic Royal Palaces has resolutely opposed development on the Boatman site in any form, advocating a plan for the landscaping of the riverside frontage, as a continuation of the parkland of Cigarette Island. HCRC and Historic Royal Palaces are extremely concerned that the Elmbridge Planning Brief makes needless concessions to development and should be urgently reviewed. (For details of the HRP Press Release link to the Homepage).

The artist’s impressions provided in July 2006 showing the river side façade and terrace and the view from the station, with glimpses of the Palace.

Showing how the new development will block the initial view of the Palace for people arriving by train.