[Top]1.1 BRIEF BACKGROUND
1.2 OUTLINE OF PROPOSAL
1.3 VIABILITY
1.4 PUBLIC BENEFIT
1.5 RECOMMENDATIONS
The Twickenham pool site is situated on the edge of the River Thames in the centre of Twickenham. The site is small (.59ha) and the only vehicular access is via a single-lane one-way system. It is at the end of the riverside walk from Richmond to Twickenham.
At present it is a buffer zone between an active commercial, social and residential riverside community (Bell Lane, Church St, Church Lane, Water Lane, The Embankment, Eel Pie Island, Eyot Lodge & Thames Eyot) and the commercial centre of Twickenham in King St. Since the closure of the pool in 1980 the Council of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (LBRuT), which owns the site, has been seeking a suitable redevelopment for it.
In 1991, the Inspector at a public enquiry into a proposed scheme for the site laid down strict guidelines for its development. His report emphasised that any buildings have to be on a scale and of a style that matches the surroundings, and is fully in sympathy with the River. The UDP stresses that leisure use is to be the main use for the site, and the Council wants any development to assist in the revitalisation of Twickenham town centre.
LBRuT will contribute the value of the site for redevelopment, but no further funding will be available from the Council, either now or in the future. In exchange for the land, on a prime riverside location, it expects a substantial return in the form of a demonstrable public asset.
As the result of a competition in 1996, Alsop Zogolovitch were appointed as the preferred developers. Since then they have put forward several proposals. The one that is the concern of this report is for a public asset consisting of a Riverside Discovery/Heritage/Arts Centre, and a piazza suitable for outside entertainment and markets, plus a pontoon and a public convenience. This is to be enabled by commercial development comprising private flats, a health and fitness centre, restaurants/bars and retail outlets.
In November 1999 the Centre Working Party was set up to consider and make recommendations about the nature, suitability and viability of the Riverside Discovery/Heritage/Arts Centre in the context of the Developer's proposed scheme. This is the first interim report of the working party.
Discovery Centres originated in the USA, where they are also known as Centres for Curiosity and Imagination. They arose from a desire to turn children's museums from repositories of information into places that stimulate the imagination and to encourage learning through experience. They bear little or no resemblance to traditional museums and they appeal to all ages, with a strong attraction to parents, grandparents and adults with a sense of curiosity.
Now a global phenomenon, Discovery Centres are rapidly gaining in popularity in the UK. They come in many styles and sizes, and the best ones reflect the needs and character of their local communities. Interactive exhibits give them an educational purpose, but the overwhelming feeling is that they're fun. Recognised leaders in the UK are Techniquest in Cardiff and Eureka in Halifax.
Roger Tym & Partners on behalf of LBRuT examined the case for a Discovery Centre for Twickenham. Their report concluded that the riverside was a desirable site for a Centre with a river theme and that the time was right to create one. There is no such Centre in the UK, so Twickenham has the opportunity to create a "first".
A considered analysis of their report suggests that the best approach for Twickenham is to create a small, viable Centre with strong local appeal. This is the possibility that has been explored in detail by the Centre working party.
The heritage of Twickenham is linked in part to the river and river-related activities, and partly to a cultural tradition of excellence in literature, music and art. The proposed Centre for the pool site seeks to capture this through:
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The Centre needs direct access to the riverside and to the piazza.
The design needs to be distinguished whilst complying with the guidelines laid down by the Inspector in charge of the Public Enquiry into the site. It is desirable that the building should be a landmark of ecological design.
It won't work if the building is made smaller than that proposed in this report. There needs to be opportunity for the Centre to expand if there is demand for it; however, the specification for the size set out in this report is for the absolute minimum floor area to be viable.
The Centre will have a range of displays and events that will be available on a daily basis for at least 12 hours. They will be targeted at children up to the age of 10, schools, adults accompanying children, young persons and adults. Some will be visiting for a scheduled event, others will drop in for a drink in the café or to view a current display or to visit the shop.
The majority of the visitors will come from the Borough but the Centre will be a natural attraction for tourists and visitors. It is estimated 30,000 people will visit per year.
A three-tier management structure is proposed:
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Many of the staff will be volunteers or part-time.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the Centre will be financially viable. The reasons for arriving at this conclusion are:
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A full business plan will be prepared when approval is given, in principle, for the Centre.
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It is recommended that:
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A Riverside Centre of at least 1,350m2 with Discovery, Arts, Heritage and commercial elements be approved in principle as part of the Twickenham riverside redevelopment. | ||||||||
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The Centre Working Group moves on to the essential next steps: | ||||||||
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