Discussions surrounding the future of the Seething Wells Filter Beds are ongoing, with the latest update presented to the Surbiton Neighbourhood Committee on Tuesday, 24 February 2026. The committee received a report detailing continued dialogue with landowners and efforts to secure heritage protection for the site.
Despite applications to Historic England for statutory listing of the Seething Wells Filter Beds, the Former Chelsea Waterworks Drainage Pumping House, and the Former Chelsea Waterworks Boundary Railings, these were declined on 15 January 2026. Historic England stated that the current circumstances of the site did not meet the criteria for prioritising designation resources. These criteria include:
- Threat: any building or site under serious threat of demolition or major alteration.
- Strategic Priority: any building or site that is within the remit of one of their strategic listing priorities.
- Significance: any building or site that has very strong potential for inclusion on the National Heritage List for England.
The Seething Wells site did not meet these criteria as its current circumstances 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. Historic England noted that should the situation change, particularly with regard to any specific threat to the site, a new application could be submitted in the future.
The report also highlighted that the landowners have indicated they wish to bring[s] forward [the site] for development for homes and open space
. They have also stated that they will not wait indefinitely until such a time as the Council credibly and constructively acknowledges that the considerable under supply of housing delivery in the borough over past decades, justifies the site being brought forward for development for homes and open space
. If constructive engagement with the council does not lead to progress on development for homes and open space, the landowners will pursue a planning application and appeal
.
The council's most recent engagement with the landowners comprises a letter to the Leader of the Council in August 2025 inviting collaboration to achieve compromises for Seething Wells, and phone conversations with the Director of Planning and Regeneration in November 2025 and January 2026. The council is continuing to explore options for land valuation to understand potential purchase or leasing arrangements for the site. The council is currently working to establish the cost of procuring a land valuation in order to explore potential purchase or leasing options of the site.
The estimated value of the site is not mentioned.
Further details on the ongoing discussions and the committee's work programme can be found in the Public reports pack and the Seething Wells updates.
