| 1. |
Business and
club activity on Eel Pie Island and Church Street: the
roads around the site (Water Lane, the Embankment in both
directions, Wharf Lane and the service road behind King
Street) are constantly used by traffic to businesses and
clubs and as parking for staff and customers. |
| 2. |
Boats: the
yacht club and the rowing club make extensive use of the
river year round. The permanent moorings that run the
full length of the Island are in constant use. The river
is used for most of the year for pleasure boating,
sailing and canoeing, and smaller tour boats use the
channel during the summer. |
| 3. |
Angling: the
angling club has a historic right to moor their punts
beside the Embankment, and to fish from it. At least
eight punts are moored here year round. |
| 4. |
Wildlife:
the upstream and downstream ends of the Island are
official wildlife sanctuaries that are nesting places and
habitation for swans, geese, coots, crested grebes,
herons, ducks and moorhens. |
| 5. |
Current
multiple uses of the site: the swimming pool site
presently houses the charity, HANDS, the Riverside
Playgroup, and a church group on Sundays. |
| 6. |
The site
also houses the only public toilets in the centre of
Twickenham. They are much used. |
| 7. |
Surroundings:
the site is bounded one side by businesses, at the back
of King Street, which are mixed with residential use. On
the sides are residential areas, the Water Lane
development and Thames Eyot. The site faces Eel Pie
Island, a mixed use area. |
| 8. |
River-centred
activity: at the moment there is no river-oriented
activity on the pool site itself. The grassed area at the
end of Water Lane and the full length of the Embankment
are heavily used throughout the year by walkers, joggers,
families feeding the ducks, fishermen, picnickers, and
residents and visitors enjoying the river. |