Save Surbiton Seething Wells
SAVE SURBITON SEETHING WELLS
SURBITON COMMUNITY CAMPAIGN ‘HUMBLED’ AFTER MASSIVE RESPONSE TO ‘SAVE SEETHING WELLS’ PETITION
The Seething Wells Action Group (SWAG) have been ‘humbled’ by the community response to their petition calling for urgent action to save the historic Surbiton Seething Wells Filter Beds. Located near the town centre on the Portsmouth Road, Kingston Upon Thames, they are very popular recreation space for local people going out for daily walks. The petition has already received over 3000 signatures in less than a month.
Constructed between 1848 and 1856, they are a site of national historic importance. Used to provide clean water clean water for London and fight the Coronavirus of its day in the 1850s – Cholera. The pictures above show the stark difference between before and after spraying had taken place.
SWAG was formed by local residents after land owners Cascina Ltd submitted a retrospective planning application to Kingston Council to allow the retention of so-called ‘industrial storage’ on the site.
This comes despite the fact that the site was officially declared as ‘abandoned’ in 1992 by Thames Water, and Cascina have never paid business rates to Kingston Council for any purpose.
Previously, Cascina have attempted to build residential units on the Filter Beds, which are designated as a Local Nature Reserve (SINC) and Metropolitan Open Land, and home to many endangered species.
Campaigners from the group are concerned that the latest plans are just stepping stones for more intense development on the site.
Local campaigner Sharron Sumner said:
“I have watched in horror and frustration over the last year, while the owners have chemically destroyed habitat and vegetation on this precious site of nature conservation and historical importance.”
“The local council refuse to take any action against the owners, despite their behaviour which has devastated the site, with industrial spraying on a fortnightly basis. If they are given permission for industrial storage, they will have permitted development rights for residential use – this can’t be allowed to happen on this historic site that we must preserve for future generations.
“I feel Londoners connect with the sites history in fighting the Coronavirus of its day, the Cholera outbreak of the 1850s.”
In addition to their petition, SWAG are encouraging local residents to make objections to the proposals from Cascina to Kingston Council before the deadline of 19th June. To respond, email development.management@kingston.gov.uk quoting REF: 20/00267/CEU.
Residents can find a template letter of objection by visiting the SWAG website at www.saveseethingwells.org
To support the campaign please visit their website Save Seething Wells
