Kingston upon Thames Council's Planning Committee has unanimously approved plans for a new mixed-use building at 7A The Triangle, Kingston Upon Thames. The development will see the demolition of existing vacant buildings to make way for a structure comprising commercial space on the ground floor and 34 residential flats on the upper levels.
The new building will step from three to five storeys in height and will include public realm improvements along the front of the site and the boundary with the adjacent Dickerage Road recreation ground. The commercial space will occupy 497 square metres, designated for Use Class E, and is intended to act as a natural continuation of the existing shopping parade. Officers are satisfied that this flexible, modern employment space will be delivered.
During the planning meeting on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, councillors discussed several key aspects of the proposal. Concerns were raised regarding the loss of employment floorspace, with the existing site previously housing a car dealership and workshop. However, officers concluded that the benefits of delivering much-needed housing outweighed this loss, particularly given the council's current housing land supply position. The council's deliverable housing land supply is currently 1.48 years, falling short of the 5-year supply required by the NPPF (2024). This development will contribute 34 high-quality homes towards addressing this deficit.
The development will be car-free, with 11 off-street parking spaces provided, including disabled bays and a car club space. The S106 legal agreement will secure three-year car club membership for the first occupiers. If a car club provider is not secured, the developer will be in breach of this agreement. Extensive cycle parking, with 68 spaces, will also be available.
Sustainability measures are a key feature of the proposal, aiming for a 68% carbon reduction beyond building regulations through the use of air source heat pumps and solar panels, and achieving a 63.17% biodiversity net gain.
The proposal includes significant public realm improvements. Hostile concrete and barbed wire fences along the boundary with Dickerage Road recreation ground will be removed and replaced with native hedging and over 10 new trees. Additionally, a financial contribution of £100,000 towards enhancements at the adjacent recreation ground was secured as part of the planning agreement.
The application was approved unanimously by the committee. Further details on the planning committee meeting can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.
