The Richmond upon Thames Council planning committee is scheduled to meet to discuss planning applications and other related matters. The main item on the agenda is a proposal to change the use of the Shacklegate Lane Allotment in Teddington from allotments to a cemetery. The committee will also review the minutes from their previous meeting.

Shacklegate Lane Allotment Planning Application

The committee will consider planning application PA25/3013, which concerns the Shacklegate Lane Allotment on Shacklegate Lane, Teddington. The proposal is for a change of use from allotments to cemetery use, including soft landscaping and associated works.

Ms Ashlea Bernard, Head of Cemetries and Registration (Serving Richmond and Wandsworth Councils), is the applicant. The planning officer's recommendation is that the planning committee grant planning permission.

The report pack states that the application was submitted because:

the Teddington Allotments (Shacklegate Lane) sit on land historically designated for cemetery use. The need for burial space on this site is now acute, with projections showing no additional burial spaces available within a year.

The report notes that planning permission was granted in 1993 (93/0041/FUL) for a change of use from an allotment site to a cemetery extension, including a new access road onto Shacklegate Lane. Although this prior permission was not fully implemented, it is considered to be an extant planning permission and appropriate material weight can be attached to it.

The report pack also mentions that the Council's Allotments Officer has confirmed that the site is not designated as a Statutory Allotment¹. According to the report pack, the key issues for consideration are:

• Principle of development change of use
• Design, impact on heritage assets and Other Open Land of Townscape Importance
• Impact on neighbour amenity
• Transport and parking
• Trees
• Ecology and Biodiversity
• Sustainability
• Flood Risk
• Contaminated Land
• Fire Safety

The report pack notes that 62 letters of objection have been received, with concerns raised including: impacts from funerals, traffic and parking, loss of allotments, harm to visual amenity, and security/antisocial behaviour.

Internal consultations were carried out. The Conservation and Urban Design Officer, Tree Officer, Ecology Officer, Environmental Health (Contaminated Land), Local Lead Flood Authority, Policy Officer, Transport Officer, and Parks and Open Spaces all raised no objections, subject to conditions.

The report pack states that the proposed development will provide approximately 616 new burial spaces, and that this aligns with London Plan Policy S7, which advises that development applications for new burial provision should be supported. The report pack also notes that the council's Allotment Strategy (2019) identifies that the Shacklegate Allotment is a temporary use and that it is envisioned the land will be required for burials after 2022.

The report pack states that the proposed development will result in a 0.48 net unit change, which is a 16.68% increase in biodiversity at the site.

The report pack recommends that the committee delegate authority to the Head of Development Management to approve the application, subject to conditions.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The committee will consider the minutes of the Planning Committee held on 25 November 2025. The draft minutes include a discussion of application PA25/1854 relating to 1, 1A, 1B and 1C King Street; 2-4 Water Lane; The site of the remaining former swimming pool building at corner of Water Lane and The Embankment; and river facing parcel of land on The Embankment in front of Jubilee Gardens. Councillor Suzette Nicholson and Councillor Jonathan Cardy declared that they had previously commented on applications for Twickenham Riverside, but were not predetermined on this particular application. The committee heard representation from Chris Bannister (the architect) and Councillor Stephen O'Shea addressed the Committee as an Interested Ward Councillor. The committee discussed value engineering, noise, standard of accommodation, sustainability and materials. The committee noted that discussions about London Affordable Rent² for the social housing element of the development were ongoing and proposed that an additional informative be added encouraging the applicant to explore the potential for affordable rented home to be 'social rent'.