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The Kingston Residents' Alliance is made up of various local residents associations and social groups. As residents, we came together informally in 2014 as a result of the St George’s planning application, then called The Old Post Office and now known as The Royal Exchange. We do not comment on every planning application, but over the years we have attended numerous public consultations and commented on major proposals. We have consistently argued that sustainable, low- to mid-rise towns and mixed-use buildings (residential, cultural, and commercial) make happier, healthier residents and are more appropriate for historic suburban environments such as Kingston.
We are not experts on planning policy and make no claims to fully understand the issues involved. However, we do get guidance from the Council’s Policy Documents, the Kingston Society and the North Kingston Forum, as well as a number of other civic bodies. Some of our volunteer residents come with specialised knowledge in law, planning and sustainability. We communicate with each other via e-mail lists, social media and by organising face-to-face meetings and gatherings. Subscribers tend to send their comments to the Council independently. For example, since the summer, we had numerous socially-distant meetings with various residents and groups. We inform each other about the current consultations and encouraged others to comment on the developers’ websites after reading their material and attending their information events (webinars or open chat lines). Some of the letters were also sent to councillors, so that they are aware of the issues concerning their constituents. We have no political alliance nor special interest in Kingston other than to support our Council in making the best possible decisions for our town's future. Up to present, our primary actions have been working with various development plans coming through the Council. We aren't experts on planning policy and make no claims to fully understand the issues involved. We simply believe that what Kingston needs is reasonable, balanced growth on a human scale. We want a walk-able town that we love to live in, that is safe and healthy for our children, that revitalizes community and culture, and that engages in sustainable practices that make Kingston a vibrant and resilient town center for decades to come. Development is inevitable but but not at any cost. There is plenty of evidence out there that low- to mid-rise towns and mixed-use buildings (residential, cultural, and commercial) all work to make happier, healthier residents and more vibrant urban environments. We believe that a lot of this is common sense. |
Residents associations and social groups with us:
Please note - the information, views and opinions expressed on this website are based on the facts we know about and are intended to represent our collective views. If we have got anything wrong or if you have any comments, please contact us. Thank you. |
