This Lib Dem administration has already committed £4.4m in the capital budget for the redevelopment of Twickenham Riverside. The full cost is still not disclosed with the administration refusing to be transparent on the estimated full cost of the development.
The Conservative Group support redevelopment of the riverside but are deeply concerned about spiralling costs of a project which could be cost neutral. At the Budget Council Meeting on 2nd March the Conservative Group said that the focus should be on rejuvenating high streets across the borough. Setting out a plan for an additional £4m of capital funding to rejuvenate highstreets across the borough starting in Heathfield & Hampton Wick.
Cllr Paul Hodgins leader of the Conservative Group said: “The Lib Dem Administration continue their secrecy around the true estimated costs of their restarted Twickenham Riverside Development. The Lib Dem Leader of the Council said that residents will be told the cost when appropriate. How can residents across the borough make a decision on how millions of their money should be spent when they will only be told the cost after everything is decided? What the Lib Dem leader really means is that residents will be told the cost when it is convenient for him. It is simple hypocrisy.
"All our high streets will need help to bounce back once they are allowed to re-open and money should be focussed on the areas that the Lib Dem administration has made a low priority.
“We put forward a plan for shopping streets including the Nelson Road parade of shops in Whitton, Powder Mill Lane especially following the closure of the Duke of York Pub, and the Castelnau Parade which has been severely impacted by the closure of Hammersmith Bridge, to share in some of the huge investment that is being put into Twickenham Riverside. The Lib Dems were told to vote no, and they did.”
