Kingston Bridge House conversion approved despite affordability concerns
Richmond upon Thames Council's Planning Committee has granted retrospective planning permission for the conversion of Kingston Bridge House into 22 residential apartments and a 90-bed hotel, despite concerns raised about the provision of affordable housing.
The committee voted in favour of the application, which was retrospective as construction was already substantially complete. The applicant's representative explained that the building industry had faced significant economic difficulties, making a previously consented scheme unviable. Viability assessments submitted with the current application demonstrated that the original scheme could not be delivered profitably. Despite these challenges, the applicant committed to delivering four shared ownership homes, two of which would be wheelchair accessible.
This current provision of four shared ownership homes represents a reduction from the previously consented scheme (PA26/0355), which had been approved in April 2024 and included eight affordable units. The new proposal achieves 18% affordable housing per unit, or 14% per habitable room, falling short of the council's target of 35%. However, independently reviewed viability evidence indicated that further affordable housing units could not be achieved without rendering the entire scheme unviable. The council welcomed the applicant's commitment to providing the four shared ownership units.
Councillors acknowledged the need for affordable housing but, on balance, supported the officer's recommendation for approval. The decision was based on the benefits of bringing a vacant building back into use, the provision of hotel accommodation, and significant environmental improvements.
The proposal retains the existing building's height and scale while improving its appearance through upgraded materials and landscaping. It is set to deliver a 62% reduction in carbon emissions and exceed biodiversity requirements. Specific enhancements include the installation of bird boxes, insect hotels, swift boxes, bat boxes, hedgehog hotels, and stag beetle loggery. Biodiverse soft landscaping and sensitive lighting to protect bats in nearby SSSIs are also part of the plan. The development will achieve a 158% biodiversity net gain in habitat units and a 315% net gain in hedgerow units, exceeding policy requirements.
Concerns were also raised about the retrospective nature of the application. The applicant's representative reiterated that the economic difficulties within the building industry had made the previously consented scheme unviable. The applicant's commitment to delivering four shared ownership homes was highlighted as a demonstration of their commitment to providing for local residents.
Regarding local infrastructure, transport impacts were considered acceptable. Parking controls, car club provision, cycle facilities, and public realm improvements are in place to promote sustainable travel. The scheme includes 23 car parking spaces and a car club space with a two-year residential membership. All occupants will be restricted from obtaining residential and business parking permits. The public footpath at the corner of Church Grove and Hampton Court Road will be widened to improve pedestrian movement and safety, and the northern crossover will be widened to support servicing and delivery. While the impact on utilities is not explicitly detailed, conditions related to piling methods for wastewater and strategic water mains suggest potential impacts and mitigation measures concerning water infrastructure.
The committee voted by nine votes to zero to approve the application. An addendum was incorporated into the approval, including two additional notes. It was identified that some residential units fell slightly short of external amenity space standard requirements, but this was deemed marginal and did not alter the planning balance. Furthermore, additional parts were added to condition 28, clarifying that on-site car parking must be provided prior to the occupation of the development.
For further details on the planning application, refer to the Public reports pack for the Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday, 14 October 2026.