This article has been contributed by Councillor Michael Wilson, Equality, Communities and the Voluntary Sector Lead Member on Richmond Council

The planning application for the reprovision for Elleray Hall has just gone live (21/2533/FUL).

This is your opportunity to show your support for a project that not only provides much needed social housing, but also creates a brand-new purpose-built community centre for the heart of Teddington.

When I first started in my role as Voluntary Sector lead, Elleray Hall landed on my desk with a big red flag.

The previous administration embarked on a project that seemed to alienate everyone involved, including the community.

So the new administration started with a blank piece of paper to understand what was needed - I spoke to various individuals, charities and organisations who had been involved.

I spoke to the Teddington Society and I sat down with some of the residents directly affected.

The previous Community Hub scheme was stopped. We decided to start again and the new administration said we would put the voluntary sector at the heart of any new proposal.

I believe we have done that. Let me explain why.

The services provided by Elleray Hall are vital for local people - the trustees, led by Joan Barnett, do an incredible job for those older people in and around the Teddington area.

Their service users deserve a building which is fit for purpose and for too long they have been let down by broken promises.

The building is old, badly configured and wastes money and energy every day.

Buildings don't make a community, the people do, but the trustees on behalf of their service users wanted something much better. I agreed.

Any new facility would require funding, and enabling development was always going to be necessary to deliver a fit for purpose community centre.

The advantage in this situation is a similar sized piece of land exists nearby: a former council depot site and small car park (opposite the Tesco car park) on North Lane just a few metres away from Elleray Hall.

So we had a choice - we could build some much-needed social housing on the existing Elleray Hall site and build a new centre on North Lane East car park and old depot, or we demolish and rebuild on the Elleray site and put the social housing on the depot site. (Doing nothing was not an option for me).

Rebuilding on the old site would involve significant disruption of two moves - including to a temporary home for a year or more, assuming something suitable could be found.

Trustees thought constructing the new centre on the old depot site allowed for the smooth and uninterrupted transition of services for their users. I agreed.

Although the pandemic has impacted the way in which we have consulted with the public, we have made every effort through our community conversations to speak to and engage the public and various stakeholder groups over the last two years.

Councillors and officers have met with residents, and we've tried to answer the questions people have posed. I was pleased there was overwhelming support for the Elleray Community Association and what they do.

I was delighted to see the community saw the value in a new facility.

I know some who live adjacent to the sites are concerned about the impact of the developments, especially during the construction, and I don't want to minimise how they feel.

The superb plans by Clive Chapman have tried to take into account the look and feel of the area and have been adapted to try and deal with some of the concerns put forward by neighbours.

The social housing proposed is modest for a town centre location - 18 flats including two units specifically for those with a disability - but is much needed.

We have thousands of people on the borough's waiting list and, as a council, we have a moral duty to help tackle the shortage.

This car-free development is only a fraction of what is needed, but in a borough like ours where space is at a premium, these small developments are the only way we are likely to make inroads.

I know there will be some who don't think we should have housing as part of this project but I disagree.

In my view it complements the project - on the one hand social housing will provide much needed accommodation to those who desperately need it, and, on the other, a new community facility to help support and empower older people.

A facility that will bring old and young people together and be at the heart of Teddington for decades to come.

If you like the sound of our vision, then please look at the detailed plans at https://www.richmond.gov.uk/council/regeneration_projects/elleray_hall_reprovision.

If you support them, then please register your support for the planning application 21/2533/FUL and let's deliver this together for Teddington.

Read our latest article on the Elleray Hall plans HERE

Have a view on Elleray Hall you'd like to share? Get in touch: [email protected] - we'd love to hear from you