Author: Taki

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The London Plan and building on Green Belt land

The London Plan
Image © Mayor of London

Work on the new London Plan is underway with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announcing in May 2025 his U-turn to now support building on the Green Belt. His announcement talked about ‘local authorities exploring the potential release of parts of the Green Belt for development, particularly lower quality land’. This is in line with national policy and a big issue for residents in Chessington as Kingston Council is failing to reach its target of new homes and the Hook Park proposals for 2000 new homes off Clayton Road on Green Belt.
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Coombe Conduit re-opens for visits

Coombe Conduit
Coombe Conduit – images © English Heritage

Coombe Conduit is a Tudor waterworks supplying Hampton Court Palace. Having been closed to visitors for the last two years, we have learnt from the Kingston Society that it has now re-opened two days a month until October. Coombe Conduit is praised for its historical significance and unique architecture, and is one of Kingston’s most ancient monuments.
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CDRA’s Annual General Meeting

Annual General Meeting

Thank you to everyone who came along to the Methodist Church for our AGM on 17th June. It was good to see so many new faces as well as old friends. We heard from two very knowledgeable and interesting speakers: Grant Henderson from Your Healthcare and local historian and author Mark Davison. The speakers fielded lots of questions from residents and have kindly provided a summary of their talks for our website.
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Celebrate Chessington – a wonderful community event

CDRA Chairman Colin Punch (centre) with the new Mayor of Kingston Cllr. Noel Hadjimichael and his deputy Ciilr. Sue Ansari
CDRA Chairman Colin Punch (centre) with the new Mayor of Kingston Cllr. Noel Hadjimichael and his deputy Cllr. Sue Ansari

We had a great time at Celebrate Chessington on 29th May 2025, and we weren’t the only ones! The event was well attended with visitors enjoying the funfair, face painting, old military vehicle display, singing and dancing, stalls and refreshments. Thanks to everyone who came by the CDRA stall. We were delighted to meet the new Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, and welcome him and Deputy Mayor and local councillor, Sue Ansari, to our stall.
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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.
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Kingston Council appoints new Mayor

Mayor & Deputy Mayor of RBK 2025

Councillor Noel Hadjimichael, Liberal Democrat councillor for Canbury Gardens Ward, has been appointed the 191st Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kingston. Having lived in Kingston since emigrating from Australia in March 2016, Councillor Hadjimichael has been a councillor for Canbury Gardens Ward since May 2022. We are pleased that our local Councillor Sue Ansari, Liberal Democrat councillor for Hook and Chessington North Ward, has been appointed as Deputy Mayor.
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Progress at Kingfisher Leisure Centre site

Kingston Council's New Leisure Centre

You may have noticed increased activity around the leisure centre site in Kingston recently. The enabling works for Kingston’s long-awaited new leisure centre have commenced. Carried out by the council’s construction partner, Pellikaan, early activity includes the creation of a temporary site access and pruning of trees in line with planning permission. According to Councillor Olly Wehring, chair of Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood: “The hoarding has been extended to include the playground (the new playground on Fairfield is now open). Construction work should start next month – just waiting on the discharge of the pre-commencement planning conditions.”
The new leisure centre is due to open in Spring 2027.
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