Kingston upon Thames faces an uncertain future for its historic Seething Wells Filter Beds, as development pressures mount on the privately-owned site. The landowners are considering development of the site for housing, given the national imperative to deliver housing .

At a meeting of the Place Committee on 18 September 2025, councillors received an annual update on the Seething Wells Filter Beds, a site of significant historical and ecological importance. The site, a distinctive example of Victorian public health infrastructure, has been in private hands since the early 1990s, following its decommissioning.

The site is located within the boundary of the Riverside South Conservation Area and is on the local list of historic assets. While this designation acknowledges the site's importance, it does not afford any formal protection through statutory listing.

The committee report provided updates on several recommendations made in 2023, including:

  • Nature Reserve: The council explored the cost of providing a nature reserve for public access. However, the landowners have stated they have no intention to market the site for disposal in the foreseeable future nor to fund the delivery of a Nature Reserve in the absence of the support of an enabling development to cover the overall cost.
  • Land Valuation: Due to budgetary pressures, it is not currently possible to progress this recommendation.
  • Heritage Protection: The council submitted four Listing Applications to Historic England (HE) in March 2025. HE determined that they were unable to take the application for 85 Portsmouth Road further because the current circumstances of 85 Portsmouth Road do not fall into any of the three categories used by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to prioritise designation resources on those sites that are most in need of protection. The three categories are threat, strategic priority, and significance. No timeframe for the determination of the remaining three applications has been provided by HE.
  • Habitat Restoration: The council's Biodiversity Officer has made contact with London Wildlife Trust regarding this recommendation, but whether opportunities for environmental schemes and the feasibility of pursuing this recommendation further with the involvement of LWT in the restoration and improvement of habitats is an option yet to be explored with the owners of the site.
  • Conservation Area: The recommendation is part of the wider programme of Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans and included under the work of the Council's Heritage and Conservation Officer.
  • Working Group Model: No relevant community projects have yet come forward or been presented that would benefit from the adoption of a Working Group model at this time, however the model remains open, should dialogue with relevant community groups seek to adopt the model.
  • Dialogue with Landowners: The council's dialogue with the landowners is ongoing. It is apparent that given the national imperative to deliver housing, development of the site remains very much on the owners' agenda and that at the current time there is little appetite to continue discussions with Councillors who are not supportive, but have expressed willingness to have discussions with Councillors that are supportive. The works directed under the s215 notice for repainting of railings is now complete.
  • Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee: Reports to the Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee have previously been provided on 12 December 2023, 25 April 2024, 10 September 2024, 25 February 2025, 10 June 2025 and 9 September 2025.
  • River Thames Scheme (RTS): The Environment Agency (EA) is progressing with the River Thames Scheme in accordance with the Development Consent Order (DCO) process and its requirements. An update for Councillors on progress of the RTS is currently being arranged with the Environment Agency to take place in early autumn.

The report highlighted the ongoing dialogue between the council and the landowners, noting that development of the site remains on the owners' agenda, driven by the national imperative to deliver housing.