Twickenham Station redevelopment will not be challenged at the Supreme Court

Planning permission for the modernisation of the station and regeneration of the area was approved by Richmond Council in December 2011.  The development involves demolition of the existing station building, a phase 1 redevelopment including erection of a concrete raft over the railway lines, and a phase 2 redevelopment including a new station concourse with stair and lifts to platform level, three buildings ranging in height between seven storeys and two storeys comprising 115 residential units, shops, offices and café and restaurant uses.

TRAG unsuccessfully attempted to overturn the grant of planning permission at the High Court and subsequently the Court of Appeal.  In the Court of Appeal hearing, Richmond Council was strongly criticised by the judge for excluding from consideration a report by Twickenham Advisory Panel which acknowledged the ‘significant public interest’ in the project and indicated that the design of the development should be re-considered.  However, there had been no ‘legal error’ in the decision making process and the decision would have remained the same even if the report had been taken into account. Therefore the planning permission could not be quashed.

Lords Neuberger, Wilson and Toulson at the Supreme Court refused TRAG permission to appeal the decision on the basis that the case “does not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance which ought to be considered by the Supreme Court at this time”.

"The costly and consistently unsuccessful campaign by TRAG to stand in the way of plans to improve Twickenham Station, which is a complete eye sore and an embarrassment to this borough, has again conclusively failed." said Richmond Council leader Lord True. "Their actions have wasted time and taxpayers’ money, which could have been far better spent on social workers and other frontline staff who make a real difference in Richmond.”