Developers pledged to secure Kingston’s future as a “retail powerhouse” as they presented plans to overhaul the town centre’s shopping district and build 380 homes.

Surrey Comet:

A planning application to demolish the Eden Walk centre was presented in December

Joint owners Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and British Land presented their proposals to demolish the Eden Walk shopping centre and replace it with a complex containing almost 18,000 sqm of retail space, leisure facilities and offices alongside the homes.

But the proposals were met by jeers from the public gallery at the development control committee pre-decision meeting at the Guildhall last night, despite developers’ claims that the scheme had received 80 per cent support at its final public exhibition.

Saturday, December 14: Application to turn Eden Walk, Kingston into a shopping metropolis submitted to Kingston Council

Thursday, October 22, 2015: Is this the future of Kingston town centre? Exclusive look at Eden Walk regeneration proposals

Thursday, June 4, 2015: Public consultations announced for regeneration proposals of Eden Walk Shopping Centre in Kingston

Matthew Secker, project director for the Eden Walk Shopping Centre Limited Partnership, said: “The existing Eden Walk shopping centre is tired, dated, unattractive and in poor state of repair.

“This long-awaited regeneration scheme is an extremely important opportunity for the future of Kingston and its economy.”

The regeneration of Eden Walk has been subject to more than a year of consultations by the land owners.

A video was shown to the committee displaying residents and business owners in support of the scheme, including Kingston First chief executive Ros Morgan.

She said: “We do need to move forward. It will bring housing to the town, bring jobs to the town, and it will bring money into the town.

“Where there are challenges there are also opportunities.”

Surrey Comet:

Consultations into the proposals began more than a year ago

Residents pointed to the 160 letters of objection received regarding the scheme and a failure to comply with the council’s own Eden Walk Development Brief.

The brief advises that only planning applications with a height of six to eight storeys should be considered in the majority of the town centre. The Eden Walk proposal reaches as high as 16 storeys.

Tony Lancaster, of the Kingston Riverside Residents Association, said: “From every angle this is a dismal-looking building, it’s dull and plain.

“It’s a clear breach of policy. We wonder whether the flats are fit for purpose. In five years all we get is a mecca for shoppers, more traffic, with less community feel.”

Kingston town centre councillor Jon Tolley said: “I live and work in Eden Street and where I eat my dinner is closer to this development than my own back yard.

“There are genuine concerns, which include density and scale, impact on heritage, infrastructure support, the impact on the homeless in Kingston and the height of the buildings.”

Councillors on the committee grilled planning officers on the details of the plans, but did not comment for procedural reasons.

They will vote on the plans at another development control meeting on Wednesday, March 23, at 7.30pm in Guildhall.