Thames2Downs Project
Chessington Hill Open Space
Key Aspirations of Thames2Downs
Thames2Downs is a major environmental initiative to link the River Thames corridor, via nationally and locally important wildlife habitats and open space networks, to the North Downs. Connecting these inherently important sites and improving access, nature conservation interest and landscape quality, will create an extensive and invaluable recreational resource for local communities and visitors.
Thames2Downs will provide a continuous, safe and attractive network of special places for the enjoyment of people and well being of wildlife, based on the concept of local people having easy and attractive access from their doorstep via green links to the wider countryside.
Thames2Downs will seek to adopt best practice standards and methods, and to pilot new ideas to deliver sustainable and innovative solutions.
The initiative will draw on the distinctive identity, sense of place, and specific characteristics of the area and reinforce this through sound approaches to land management and high standards of design and implementation.
As a strategic project, Thames2Downs has the following advantages:
- Potential for significant landscape, biodiversity and public access benefits from a ‘landscape scale’ project centred on the Thames Downs Link (part of the Surrey rights of way spine network)
- Potential for the considerable number of sites of importance for nature conservation to be linked by wildlife corridors
- Build on existing projects and partnerships
- Work in partnership in a ‘holistic’ way, which has the potential to attract external funding
The Thames2Downs project seeks to secure specific environmental benefits for local communities and has these aims:
- Improved accessibility for walkers, equestrians and cyclists
- Enhanced landscape quality and character
- Enriched biodiversity and linking of habitats
- Restored and enhanced historic/archaeological features
- Increased use of sustainable modes of travel
- Business investment in local environmental initiatives
- Improved mental and physical health of local people
- Enhanced sense of ‘communal ownership’ through social inclusion and engagement
- Improved quality of life experience for local people
- Reduced anti social behaviour and greater respect for the environment
- Increased educational/learning through contact opportunities
Chessington Hill Section
The central theme for this project is to create a long distance multi-user route that connects Kingston with the North Downs, and which in certain locations would function as part of a ‘Safe Routes to School’ network. In the context of Chessington Hill, the aim is to provide a ‘Safe Route to School’ between Chessington Hill and Epsom and Ewell High School in Ruxley Lane, and thereby encourage pupils living in the Chessington Hill area to walk/cycle safely to school.
An essential component in this would be to build a bridge across the Bonesgate Stream, to provide a connection between Chessington Hill and Gatley Green open spaces. The map in the link below indicates the location of the proposed bridge and paths.
Public Consultation
The South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee received a presentation on the Thames2Downs Project at its meeting in September. The presentation highlighted the proposals for the Chessington Hill section. The Neighbourhood Committee requested that the views of local residents be sought and the results of the consultation be reported back to Committee, hopefully in January 2011.