County Hall Kingston: A place where everyone is welcome, where business will thrive, people will live and ideas will be shared. Inclusive and accessible. A landscaped setting, designed with biodiversity in mind. A blend of past and present. A dynamic, eco-friendly environment, enlivening Kingston’s town centre and energising the local economy.
County Hall Kingston is all of these – and more. The creation of this new destination will safeguard one of the town’s most precious listed buildings, conserving, preserving and protecting its heritage whilst providing the site with a new lease of life as a sustainable live/work community.
Revisions to the planning submission in response to comments received.
Scroll down to The Latest News for details.
County Hall Kingston will provide a much-needed boost to local businesses, and serve as a catalyst for the town’s post-pandemic economic recovery.
Eric Holding, Kingston resident
Repaired, restored and brought back to life as an impressive place to live or work, the Grade II* listed building will be open to the public for the first time in its history. Preservation and stewardship will be ensured in perpetuity safeguarding Kingston’s heritage for future generations.
A new business destination for Kingston, providing flexible workspaces, podcast rooms, studios, events hub and café, hosting fledgling and established enterprises and boosting the local economy.
A landscaped setting to promote post-covid well-being, both physical and mental, with sensory planting, soft landscaping to promote biodiversity and seating areas. A place for all to meet, relax and spend time outdoors.
The utmost consideration has been given to sustainability on this town centre brownfield site from energy-efficient heating systems and solar panels and the highest sustainable drainage standards to cycle storage and a car club.
Exceptional quality housing – private, affordable and affordable-rented – will significantly contribute to Kingston’s housing needs. New apartment buildings complement the original civic architecture and apartment sizes meet or surpass London plan standards.
I’m so excited with the prospect of my design business being able to use the work spaces within the historic building.
Ben Brickwood, Kingston resident and business owner
LIVE
WORK
COLLABERATE
UPDATE TO THE PLANNING APPLICATION SCHEME
January 2023
RER Kingston have revised the planning application to account for the reduction in height and massing of block A buildings, improving the relationship between County Hall Kingston and neighbouring Woodbines Avenue and Milner Road.
These positive changes are detailed within this document link and summarised below:
- Building A1 – reduced to 6 storeys (reduction of 2 storeys)
- Building A2 – reduced to 4 storeys with plant enclosure set back from southern boundary
- Building A3 – Reduced to 3 storeys with projecting western wing removed
- Nos.5 and 7 Milner Road now retained as single family houses with alterations to rear gardens
- Enhanced landscaping along the southern site boundary facing Woodbines Avenue
- Repurposing of residential apartments in 1893 building to commercial space
COUNTY HALL’S OWN COURT ROOM USED FOR WARM-HEARTED 60S-SET CRIME CAPER
The Duke a new film starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren follows the true story of a taxi driver that stole the portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery.
Both the Council Chambers and Courtroom will be preserved in their present form – retaining County Hall Kingston as a film location for TV & Cinema. This provides a local economic benefit of £3.25M per annum to the town.
September 2022
Further revisions were made to the planning application to account for the change of use from residential to flexible commercial space to the lower ground level of the existing building at Surrey County Hall. This has increased the provision of flexible commercial space from 3,444 sq m to 4,402 sq m and reduced the number of residential units from 326 to 315 units.
These positive changes are detailed within this document link
May 2022
In response to comments received from RBKT, the GLA, Local Residents, Historic England and other consultees, RER Kingston have made revisions to its planning application.
These positive changes are detailed within this document link and summarised below:
- Over 20% increase in flexible workspace
- 55% reduction in commercial parking spaces
- Removal of one storey height to block B
- Elevational improvements to block A
- Improvements to the positioning of balconies, privacy screens and internal layouts to blocks A1 and A2
- Repurposing of residential apartments in 1893 building to commercial space
- Repurposing of lower ground floor residential apartments in 1960 building to commercial space
- Repositioning of outdoor play space area within the development
- Improvements to layout and positioning of internal cycle stores
- Additional planting to the southern boundary
- Additional landscaping along western boundary to Milner Road
- Clarification of service provisions and delivery access.
COUNTY HALL’S OWN COURT ROOM USED FOR WARM-HEARTED 60S-SET CRIME CAPER
The Duke a new film starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren follows the true story of a taxi driver that stole the portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery.
Both the Council Chambers and Courtroom will be preserved in their present form – retaining County Hall Kingston as a film location for TV & Cinema. This provides a local economic benefit of £3.25M per annum to the town.