The Udney Park Community Fields Foundation is urging Richmond Council to compulsorily purchase derelict playing fields in Teddington.

Udney Park playing fields is currently under the ownership of Hu Xiaowei with the alias Mr Wu, who has links with Cambodian criminal conglomerate The Prince Group and was recently arrested in Japan after being sanctioned in the UK.

The Foundation previously offered to buy the fields, but this was withdrawn in November 2025 wen it emerged that Mr Wu was alleged to be second in command of the Prince group, which is claimed to be linked to "pig butchering", romance scams, investment frauds and forced labour.

Mr Wu bought the Udney park playing fields for £35 million in 2022 via a company registered in the British Virgin Islands called Leisure Focus.

He allegedly planned to revamp the 13-acre site, but was placed under US sanctions in October last year and later in the UK.

These sanctions then led to a restriction being placed on the fields' Land Registry Listing that no transfer can be completed without an assurance that it does not breach Sanctions Law.

So, now the Foundation is urging Richmond Council to buy the site.

Its Chair, Jonathon Dunn, told The Times: "In the face of what will almost certainly be years, if not decades, waiting while this complex criminal mess plays out, action needs to be taken to bring this asset to the ownership of the Foundation - a charity - with the proceeds being placed in a Treasury approved escrow account."

Following the news of Mr Wu's arrest, Dunn told Nub News that the Foundation is now urging residents to "pressurise local councillors and MPs to free up these fields".

He explained that fields have now been out of use for over 10 years despite being a designated Asset of Community Value (ACV).

Dunn added: "The pavilion and fields were originally a war memorial in 1922 intended for the playing of sport in perpetuity.

"The gates to these fields need to be unlocked and the council must investigate a CPO."

Dunn is asking residents to contact local MP Munira Wilson, who has previously urged the government to amend the ACV Bill to help save the fields, at [email protected] and Richmond Council's leader Cllr Gareth Roberts at [email protected] to urge the council to purchase the fields.

He said: "The impact of all of this is that 12.5 acres of community playing fields in Teddington remain out of meaningful community use until the situation is resolved.

"It is not known if the fields are a frozen asset, but clearly any attempt to purchase the site is now on hold.

"There are clearly questions for various solicitors and estate agents as to how this land was allowed to be purchased in the first place by such an individual."

A Richmond Council spokesperson told Nub News: "Udney Park Playing Fields is a much-loved local green space and an important asset for sport, recreation, and biodiversity. We know how strongly residents feel about the site and how important it is that it remains protected for the community.

"We would welcome the fields returning to wider community use, while protecting their important environmental and open-space value. It is a site that matters enormously to local people, and we want to see its long-term future secured for the benefit of the community."