Your St Margaret's and East Twickenham
Aim of Village Plan
The Village plan describes a vision for the village area and identifies what the council will do and what local people can do to achieve the vision together. It sets out the key issues and priorities and provides background information on the village area.
A Vision for the St Margaret's and East Twickenham Area
The Council has developed the vision by:
- Asking local people and businesses what is important to them in the All in One survey and other consultations.
- Using current plans, policies and projects, the links to which are included in the Plan.
The vision for St Margaret’s and East Twickenham is to maintain the attractive residential character and to ensure that the shopping centres continue to thrive.
St Margaret’s and East Twickenham are located within a bend in the River Thames. The streets around the local shopping centres form a picturesque and leafy landscape containing many fine Victorian and Edwardian villas and interwar homes.
The River and related open spaces at Orleans Gardens, Marble Hill Park, Cambridge Gardens, and St Margaret’s promenade are extremely attractive while Richmond Bridge and Richmond Lock are historic features. The towpath generally has a rural character with stunning views.
There are two local shopping centres at St Margaret’s and East Twickenham. St Margaret’s provides a good range of shops and services to local residents while East Twickenham also attracts some trade from visitors to Richmond. There are also local parades at the junction of Richmond Road and Crown Road and in St Margaret’s Road. Orleans House and Marble Hill House are visitor attractions within the area and there is the newly acquired Turner’s House.
The vision is based on maintaining the character of the area as an attractive residential area; ensuring St Margaret’s and East Twickenham shopping centres continue to provide a range of shops and services for residents and visitors; that the local parades at Richmond Road/Crown Road and in St Margaret’s Road are maintained; that the towpath and Duck Walk (which provides a crucial link) and open spaces are maintained and enhanced where opportunity arises.
The Twickenham Studios are important to the character of St Margaret’s and the Council’s economic strategy and the vision is based on the retention of studio use on the site.
The vision recognises the potential of sensitive redevelopment of the vacant 1980s offices in East Twickenham (north side of Richmond Road) to improve the appearance of the site and to introduce uses that will enhance the commercial area.
The impact of through traffic will be reduced where possible and parking managed to allow residents to access local facilities and enjoy nearby open areas and the riverside.
How we came up with the area covered by the Plan
In our All in One survey in 2010, we asked people to tell us what they considered to be their ‘local area’. We used the information residents gave us to draw up the village area shown on this map. The boundaries are not prescriptive; villages overlap and people can choose whichever area they most identify with and contribute to any of the Village Plans. Anyone who lives close to a village area – or who works there or has some other connection – is welcome to make comments about the village plan or get involved in making the area better, even if they do not live within the village boundary as shown here.
St Margaret’s and East Twickenham Village includes parts of St Margaret’s and North Twickenham and Twickenham Riverside wards.