Progress towards urgent work to mend river wall at Strand on the Green

Strand on the Green; photograph Ljubima Woods

Hounslow Highways have had a detailed survey carried out and the necessary work appears to be within their budget

Residents at Strand on the Green are pleased that plans to mend the river wall are progressing.

The Chiswick Calendar reported four years ago that a gap had opened up along the tow path between the path and the river wall under the railway bridge beside the Bull’s Head pub. The gap has grown noticeably bigger since then.

READ ALSO: Gap opens up along the tow path at Strand on the Green

READ ALSO: Is the river wall at Strand on the Green in danger of collapsing?

A gap in the river wall at Strand-on-the-Green, of which a 2023 report found parts were “close to collapse”

Work to repair the wall was ‘urgent’ two years ago

Hounslow Council and Hounslow Highways acknowledged urgent work was needed to repair the river wall, and promised to do something about it, but it is now two years since they produced a report which concluded there was damage of ‘high severity’ where ‘urgent’ work was needed.

Chair of the Strand on the Green Association (SOGA) Ann Collins told The Chiswick Calendar she has heard from the service director at Hounslow Highways, Tim Hurley, that Hounslow Highways has now done the detailed survey, which was needed to scope out the required works, and the money was in place to do the work.

“A costing has been developed, which is in the process of being validated within Hounslow Highways, but they believe it is within the indicative budget envelope that London Borough of Hounslow has previously approved”.

The costing should be submitted to LBH this month, and subject to LBH approval of the work scope and costs, the remediation works should be early 2026. The costing is based on like-for-like materials, addressing one of the residents association’s fears about maintaining the appearance of Strand on the Green.

The riverbank at Strand on the Green

“I have a lot more confidence this time” – Ann Collins, Chair of Strand on the Green residents’ association

“I’ve been here before, when they said they’d do the work ‘early next year’, but I have a lot more confidence this time.

“They’ve been through the budget process with Hounslow Council and I’ve just been in a call with Tim Hurley and three senior officers.

“This is something that has been a concern to us for some years and we are very pleased it seems to be progressing”.

The work will cover the whole lengthof the wall from the beginning of the towpath at Strand End all the way along to the slipway beside Kew Bridge.

The condition of the wall is “very variable”, Ann told me.

“Some bits just need repointing, but there are bits where the coping stones have come loose, and bits where the wall is actually leaning out.

“There is a range of things to be done, some more urgent than others”.

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