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Celebrate Chessington – volunteers wanted

Celebrate Chessington

This year’s event takes place on Thursday 29th May 12noon to 4pm at Churchfields recreation ground. It’s a great afternoon of family friendly activities with stalls, fairground rides, live music, face painting. To celebrate the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, there will be a display of military vehicles from The Military Vehicle Trust.

The organisers are looking for volunteers to help with event marshalling, litter picking, helping stallholders. If you are interested or know someone completing their Duke of Edinburgh award and needs to do some volunteering, please email info@celebratechessington.co.uk

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Community award to Diane and Francis Brannan

Community Award awarded to Diane Brannan
The Mayor of Kingston presenting the Community Award to Diane (Francis was camera-shy)

Congratulations to Diane and Francis, the well-deserved recipients of a community award from the Mayor of Kingston. The award was presented to them by the Mayor, Councillor Liz Green, on 17th March at a ceremony at the Guildhall, Kingston. The awards honour individuals who devote their time to supporting communities across the borough. Diane and Francis have played crucial roles in the development of CDRA for over 30 years.
Find out more

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CDRA’s 50th anniversary – Chessington Memories

Ace Parade, Chessington 1950s
Ace Parade, Chessington, 1950s – image © Diane Brannan

Do you remember the roadhouse at the Ace, or when Chessington World of Adventures was the Zoo? Perhaps you browsed through the records at Woollies on Hook Parade or remember the RAF camp? To celebrate our 50th anniversary, we want to hear your memories of Chessington past. We will share them on our website, social media and at our Annual General Meeting.
Find out more

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Ace Parade chaos

Ace Parade, Chessington roadworks

Parking and loading bays suspended, erratic closures to the slip road, incorrect signage installed, parking tickets wrongly issued, barriers and groundwork debris everywhere … all combining to cause chaos for vehicles and frustration, confusion and stress to residents, customers and businesses. And what for? For an additional two electric vehicle charging points that aren’t needed or wanted.
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Proposed back garden development at 200 Leatherhead Road, Chessington KT9 2HU

200 Leatherhead Road development

We are faced with yet another planning application for an opportunist back garden development. This time at 200 Leatherhead Road, Chessington KT9 2HU, adjacent to the existing Fleetwood Close. The proposed development of 2 x three-bedroom houses, 1 x two-bedroom house and 1 x one-bedroom house will bring more cars onto the already busy A243. A considerable disadvantage is that there is no actual access direct from the development to the main road. Access is proposed across an existing eight bay garage forecourt into Fleetwood Close.
Read CDRA’s response to planning application

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Signal Park Phase Two update

Signal Park, Tolworth Phase Two
Image © Countryside Partnerships

The developers are seeking planning permission for Phase Two of this development. A presentation was given by the developers at the South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee meeting on 25th March. CDRA is strongly opposed to this application. Residents, businesses and councillors raised concerns regarding the density of the development, its impact on existing residents, GP surgeries, schools and transport, the height of the blocks, and the lack of car parking which is already impacting safety and traffic in the area.
Read update

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What Kingston Thinks

What Kingston Thinks

On 4th March 2025, CDRA attended the presentation by Kingston Giving of ‘What Kingston Thinks’ at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. During 2024, 200 residents were interviewed about what it’s like living and working in the borough. Questions covered topics from mental health and well-being to shops and services, housing to digital connectivity. The insights from this research will shape Kingston Giving’s priorities, with a focus on addressing mental health as the most pressing need identified in the report.
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Giant transformers travel through Chessington

National Grid transformer makes journey
Image © National Grid

Did you know that beneath our feet, over twenty miles of deep underground tunnels are being built as part of a National Grid £1 billion project to rewire south London? The eagle-eyed among you have spotted that signs and lampposts at the Ace roundabout have been removed. This is because some super large loads are traversing the junction as part of this project.
Find out more