Major changes are being planned for Kingston's town centre including new homes, offices, improved public spaces and fewer cars in the next 10 years.

Kingston Council is putting together plans to steer development in the town centre, with aims to make it "greener, cleaner and safer".

The council has published a draft vision for the future of the town centre, which is out for consultation until April 30. It says the area is "on the cusp of a transformational change".

The vision sets out developments coming to the area to manage their delivery along with new proposals covering housing, public spaces, businesses, events and infrastructure. It includes the town centre and an extended area which would benefit from the changes taking place.

The finalised vision will be put with a planning framework, to guide investment over the next 10 years, and a delivery plan to create one document. This will be used alongside Kingston's local plan to give council planing officers and prospoective developers a guide to how the town centre's development should be managed. 

Key ambitions set out in the draft vision are for Kingston to become London's 'leading riverside metropolitan centre', to celebrate the area's culture, history and natural beauty, to be a thriving place for all communities and to have a network of green streets and spaces.

The vision includes six "big ideas" to make these ambitions a reality, focussing on riversides, public realm, transport, culture and heritage, use and character and sustainability. The planning framework will provide more details on the projects.

A sketch from the draft vision document for Kingston town centre (Credit: Kingston Council)

The vision identifies 23 development sites bringing new homes and offices to the town centre, some of which already have planning permission, including the Eden Campus which will be the new headquarters of Unilever and see 115 homes built. It identifies seven further sites in the wider area, including the demolition and rebuilding of the Cambridge Road Estate with 2,170 new homes.

The vision also focuses on making the town's riverfronts "more lively, active and easy to access and explore" and improving public spaces, including Clarence Street, Eden Street and the riverside walk. It suggests transforming nightlife in Kingston with more events, food and drink options in the evening – as well as the daytime – uncovering the "hidden Hogsmill River", providing more opportunities for watersports and encouraging public art.

Improving the town's major transport corridors and ring road for pedestrians and cyclists, and having fewer cars in the town centre, is another key focus of the vision. The draft suggests improving connections between the town centre and rivers, upgrading the areas around the train and bus stations, rolling out electric vehicle charge points in more locations and returning the edges of the Thames and Hogsmill rivers to nature.

In a recent workshop, Kingston University students came up with more detailed proposals to transform the town centre – including installing lights and mosaics in the alleyways down to the riverside, building a new community pavilion on Fairfield Recreation Ground and greening Eden Street. The council has also worked with a citizens' panel, residents and businesses on their hopes for the future of the town centre to inform the plan.

Lib Dem councillor Roger Hayes, portfolio holder for planning policy and community engagement, said: "It has been fantastic to have this contribution of inspirational ideas from Kingston University students to this important plan for the future of the Kingston town centre area.

"We're keen to hear from all members of the community about what they cherish the most and where improvements can be made to make sure Kingston town centre is a vibrant, attractive and inclusive place for everyone to enjoy."