Plans to transform Kingston's iconic tallest building have been thrown out for a second time after an appeal from the developer was rejected. The application for the Tolworth Tower site was first turned down by Kingston Council in May 2021.

The plans would have seen the currently vacant 22-storey office building turned into 261 apartments and two more tower blocks built on the landmark site, with up to 499 new homes built in total.

One of the new towers would have been up to 19 storeys while the other tower would have been up to 15 storeys, creating 238 more homes in total.

A statement submitted on the developer's behalf for the appeal says: "The current offering and pedestrian environment around the Tolworth Tower complex is tired and in need of considerable investment and uplift.

"The proposal aims to facilitate a comprehensive and deliverable scheme which provides many benefits, including the redevelopment of a vacant and underutilised non-designated office building along with a more attractive shopping parade and public plaza in the district centre, supporting growth and accommodating the local population to sustain it." 

The existing M&S, Travelodge and council car park would have been retained under the plans.

The application originally proposed no affordable housing, but the appeal proposal included 50 affordable homes. The first floor car park in the existing tower would have been converted into a flexible workspace unit. The office space in the 1960s tower has been empty since the end of March 2019.

But the Planning Inspectorate has now dismissed the developer's appeal to go ahead with the proposal.

A report on the decision says evidence before 2018 shows "occupation of the office space had been in decline". But it says: "I have concluded that the proposal would result in significant loss of employment floorspace provision and that a lack of robust evidence exists on whether it would be feasible for Tolworth Tower, or parts of it, to be re-used for lower cost and affordable workspaces and/or small office unit use."

It adds: "The refurbishment of the vacant and deteriorating Tolworth Tower would ensure its long term retention and use. This benefit would carry some considerable weight. Other benefits offered by the proposed development in terms of the provision of the new public plaza, minimising the need to travel, the efficient use of brownfield land, construction jobs and investment into the local economy are all acknowledged. However, overall I am of the view that these would offer comparatively modest public benefits which only attract moderate weight."