Welcome to the Kingston upon Thames Society
We serve the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, which includes Chessington, Coombe, the Maldens, Surbiton and Tolworth.
New members are always welcome.
Our mission
The Kingston upon Thames Society exists to promote high standards of planning, conservation and design in the Royal Borough.
We are
The Kingston upon Thames Society, founded in 1962 and affiliated to the Civic Trust. We are Kingston’s major voluntary and independent organisation concerned with planning and conservation.
We do
Society representation on applications, consultations, meetings of local conservation and planning bodies
A monthly public meeting, with a guest speaker, on a topic of local interest
Co-ordination of the borough’s Heritage Open Days programme
Custodian of the Coombe Conduit ancient monument
A Newsletter for members every month
Townscape Awards for new buildings of distinction
Visits to buildings of interest, and outings to historic towns
Partnership with other groups in community projects
Leaflets and Booklets on subjects of local interest
Reviewing new planning proposals
A significant part of the Society’s activity is to review and comment on planning consultations and applications. Each week Kingston Council publishes a list of new Planning Applications, and we comment on those we think are most important, enabling us to tackle planning problems at their source.
Our Major Schemes page covers the most significant planning applications, such as Tesco Tolworth and The Old Post Office site.
Our Minor Schemes page covers other applications that are on our radar or of concern to us.
Our Other Consutations page covers non application consultations, such as the formulation of the London Plan and Local Plans.
Celebrating some of the good things in the Borough
We organise Kingston’s Heritage Open Days where free entry is offered to interesting buildings that are normally closed to the public. England Heritage Open Days 2019 was 13-22 September and Open House London 2019 took place on 21-22 September.
We recognise good local architecture and design through our Townscape Awards. These were last awarded in October 2017.
We act as guardian of one of Kingston’s most important ancient monuments, Coombe Conduit, built around 1540 as part of a system to collect fresh water from springs on Kingston Hill and channel it to Hampton Court Palace.
Monthly public meetings
The Society wants to increase and improve the debate on what the Royal Borough of Kingston is and what it could be. One way we do this is through our regular public meetings.
We are currently accepting guest speaker bookings for 2020 and have some interesting guests already scheduled – please contact us for further details.
Full details of our public meetings, and guest speakers and talks are on the Coming Events page
Visits and Socials
The Society organises occasional visits to explore the good and the bad of architecture and design. In 2019 our popular Summer Guided walk started opposite the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Aldgate East to explore the EAST END.
Our Society Summer Picnic, returned again in 2019 which was enjoyed by all who could make it.
Details for upcoming visits and social events will be posted on the Coming Events page.
Major Schemes
We are trying to get the best designs and outcomes from the real plethora of new developments that are facing residents. Lately most of them are predicated on the alleged increase in the population of Greater London in the next 15 years (for Kingston this will mean around 30% more residents than now) and the suggested building of Crossrail 2, again in the next 15/20 years’ time which will affect virtually all the stations and forever change the face of this Borough.
39-41 Surbiton Road – Redevelopment of former offices and addition to upper floors with flats
We welcome the retention of this attractive historic building - which was previously a Pub - by its conversion into new flats
“Chiltern Works” & 127Chiltern Drive Surbiton Development of 56 flats
20/00130/FUL “Chiltern Works” and 127 Chiltern Drive Surbiton Development of 56 flats and new commercial floor space on the Ground floor.
11-25 Leatherhead Road, Chessington: Demolition & redevelopment with 56 flats.
Revised submission involving "Demolition of eight existing residential dwellings and the erection of 43 residential units with associated car and cycle parking, landscaping and access works".
Kingston News
New vision for Kingston town centre to be developed by Arup
Kingston Council and Kingston First, the Business Improvement District (BID) has appointed Arup to lead on the development of a new vision for its town centre. The study will look at the opportunities [...]
Building Better Building Beautiful Commission report published
In a new report 'Living with Beauty - Promoting health, well-being and sustainable growth' the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission (BBBBC) (link here) declares "Beauty is not an arbitrary addition to the builder’s aims but fundamental [...]
The man who built St Raphaels Church
The man who built St Raphaels Church Alexander Raphael The story of Alexander Raphael, 1775-1850. Builder of St. Raphael’s Church, Surbiton. This illustrated talk was [...]
Become a member of the Kingston Upon Thames Society
Why you should join
If you share our interest in protecting, celebrating and enhancing our Royal Borough then you can join the Society to get more involved and to have more of a say on what the Society does.
We are open to new members
How to join
You can join online for as little as £10 per year, using the link below.
Join us now
Together we can help make Kingston better for all