WELCOME to the website of the Raynes Park and West Barnes Residents' Association, designed to inform you of current local issues and to provide a brief history of the local area and the Association. 

All our members receive our monthly magazine "The Guide", which continues to be delivered by our volunteers.

"The Guide" has local information, news, events and advertising. For more information about advertising in "The Guide", click this link.

Our Association , which is run completely by volunteers, works on behalf of our local community. We are a NON political association, welcoming everyone. 

This membership year runs from January to December 2026 and costs the very low annual subscription fee of £3.   

Click here to contact our Treasurer and become a member.

UPDATE 09/12/2025

Berkeley Homes has now submitted its planning application to building 586 flats in 5 blocks up to 16 storeys high, on the Gas Holder site in Motspur Park. Due to the location of the site and its access to the public road network, Berkeley Homes has submitted its planning application to both the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and London Borough of Merton.

The details are as follows:

Merton Application No: 25/P2859                 Revised/extended closing date for comments is now: 24 December 2025

Please note that, although the revise closing date for comments to Merton is 24 December, we encourage those wishing to object,  to submit their comments as soon as possible. Even if you miss the 24 December date, it's still worth submitting your comments, after that date. Submit your comments by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  . To read how to submit comments to Merton click here.

Kingston Application No: 25/02562/FUL      Closing date for comments: 12 December 2025

(It is also on Sutton's website, Ref: DM2025/01426 but is not yet available for comments)

Read more Here. Our Association's objection submitted to Kingston's planning department may be read Here

Our Association's comments submitted to Merton's planning department may be read Here 

Chairman's Blog - November 2025

Our Open meeting at Motspur Park, held in the Blossom House School in October 2025, was attended by some 100 local people and included the following issues:

ARTIFICIAL PLAYING SURFACE

The Merton Head of Sport & Leisure, David Gentles, spoke about the Council’s suggested proposal to build an artificial playing surface on the Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Playing Field. This proposal met lots of opposition from the meeting, on the basis that it would destroy its open aspect, although one speaker who organises  football matches for adults and children pointed out that too many days were being lost because of unusable grass pitches

GAS HOLDER SITE   

The meeting was held on 14th October just before the registration of the plans by Berkeley Homes to demolish the gas holders, and to build high rise apartments in their place.  The site is in the borough of Kingston, but the plans have major implications for residents in both Merton and Sutton.

Councillor Stuart Neaverson, Merton Cabinet Member, was present and explained that Merton and Sutton residents are able to make both individual and group representations to Kingston. Great concern was voiced, inter alia, at the proposed height of the buildings, the access for lorries during the demolition and construction phases, which would take many years, and the vehicle access thereafter.

PLANNING APPLICATION AT 208-212 BURLINGTON ROAD One of our Road Stewards, John Nicholson, has pointed out that the application has been approved by officers using delegated powers. He says, rightly, that it ought to have been placed on the agenda for a meeting of the Planning Committee, given the number and strength of the objections and since it was categorised as a major development on the site notice and in the published statutory notice. He has lodged a formal complaint with the planning department and requested sight of relevant documents under the Freedom of Information Act. 

John Elvidge – Chair RPWBRA

Motspur Park Gas Holders - Planning Application

NOVEMBER 2025

Berkeley Homes has now submitted its planning application to Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames for the redevelopment of the Gas Holder site in Motspur Park (Application Ref: 25/02562/FUL).

Due to the proximity of the site to Merton, the application has also been submitted to the London Borough of Merton (Application reference 25/P2859).

A dedicated website set up by a local resident, encouraging us all the “get involved”, provides an excellent list of the key matters of contention in the applicant’s planning documents, may be found here:

https://motspurparkgasholdersgetinvolved.com/

It also suggests the crucial issues to raise in your objections to Planning Committee for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the London Borough of Merton. This website is being updated on a daily basis.

Objections must be submitted to Kingston before 12 December 2025 and to Merton by 10 December 2025.

Our neighbouring residents’ association, Station Estate Residents’ Association Kingston (SERAK) has also set up a very informative website, that very clearly sets out the various points of objection to this planning application, together with links to the Kingston Planning Dept website, where you can view all the details of the Berkeley Homes planning application.

https://www.motspurparkgasholderstoptheoverbuild.com/ 

All members of the public, whether resident in Kingston or not, are entitled to submit their objections to this planning application to both Kingston and Merton.

Our Association's objection submitted to Kingston may be read HERE.