Here are the biggest local planning stories from the past couple of weeks.

Sign Switch Up

Council planners have given the green light for Teddington's WHSmith signs to be replaced as part of a national rebrand.

Richmond Council has said the new TGJones signs can go up at the Broad Street store.

The move comes after WHSmith announced the £76m sale of its 233-year-old high street businesses to Modella Capital - the firm which owns Hobbycraft – back in March.

Read the full story here.

Coffee Shop Scheme

A planning application has been submitted to Richmond Council to extend the coffee shop, Neighbourhood Café, at Teddington Railway Station.

The application seeks permission for the "Change of Use of existing taxi rank area (Sui Generis) and internal and external alterations to facilitate the extension of the existing coffee shop (Use Class E)". 

The applicant added: "Works include the insertion of a new entrance door in place of an existing front window, replacement of an existing roller shutter with fixed glazing facing the station ticket hall, and the removal of an internal partition wall between the two aforementioned spaces."

Read the full story here.

Pitching In

To meet a growing demand for football, particularly from junior and girls' teams, Richmond Council's Parks Team is now consulting on plans to add two new pitches on Hampton Common.

The proposals map out a new nine-a-side football pitch and five-a-side training grid, which would join the existing 11-a-side and nine-a-side pitches already available. 

With football's ever-growing popularity among women and girls, female teams and groups will receive priority on the new pitches.

Read more here.

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