What is the latest news on the Stag Brewery site?
Recently, several representatives of key local community groups met with Guy Duckworth of Dartmouth Capital to understand what the Stag site owners – City Developments Limited (CDL), now planned following the planning consents granted earlier this year.
The groups included MBCG, Mortlake with East Sheen Society (MESS), Mortlake Community Association, West London River Group and the Towpath Group.
We are grateful to Guy for meeting with us and updating us on CDL’s intended plans moving forwards. Key issues covered can be summarised as follows:
- All of the tenants on the site, save for Story Works, the filming company, have been served notice and will no longer be on site shortly. The western half of the site will be vacated by Laing O’Rourke by the end of November.
- Site security will be increased as parts are vacated.
- Story Works continue to use the site and expect to hear by January next, whether Disney will commission further episodes of A Thousand Blows.
- CDL are progressing a twin-track strategy which includes discussions with a third party who are interested in buying the whole site, but they will also go to the market shortly to establish any interest from Joint Venture partners to build out the scheme, or buy the site. The party who are already in discussions with CDL are comfortable with the existing approved scheme.
- Due to the planning consent being valid for 3 years, CDL will determine their preferred route by early 2026 because it will take at least a year to prepare reports/drawings etc; to discharge the many planning conditions imposed on pre-demolitions and pre-construction works.
- Dartmouth do not envisage any works commencing on the site for about 18 months.
- Dartmouth and CDL are, like us, waiting to hear whether the funding for the Stag secondary school will be agreed or not by the DfE. We understand that the outcome of the DfE’s review of funding is now expected in the Autumn.
- If funding for the secondary school is pulled by the DfE Dartmouth agreed that they would closely collaborate with the community on alternative proposals for the land including ideas already illustrated in the Community Plan, shared some years ago.
- Dartmouth confirmed that the local primary schools will continue to be permitted to temporarily use the existing sports fields, as will Barnes Eagles.
- Guy kindly agreed to liaise with MCA on relevant initiatives which emerge from the Mortlake Mash Up and might interface with the Stag proposals. Timi Fabian at MCA will be the contact.
Towards the end of the meeting we raised the importance to the community of using the river for removal of demolition materials, excavated spoil and delivery of building materials. The extent to which this can be achieved will depend on further feasibility studies and dialogue with the Port of London Authority.
We also stressed the importance of keeping our section of the Thames towpath open during demolition and construction, citing examples of large central London development sites which maintain public access at street level on very constrained conditions.
Finally, we pressed Guy to ensure that the scheme, however it progresses, is positioned as an opportunity to create a new heart for Mortlake, a unique and historic area within Richmond, and that it is not marketed as an extension of Barnes or Kew.
All in all, it was a useful and productive meeting, but uncertainty still exists. We hope to know by the end of the year whether
- CDL will sell the site or if they have established a Joint Venture partner.
- We will also know if the secondary school will go ahead or not.
- and we will know if further filming by Story Works will get the green light from Disney.
We will keep the community updated as and when we get more information to share.