Tree maintenance

Quite a bit of work was done in the last year or two to trees by the towpath alongside Burnell Avenue Open Space and a little bit more has just been done with the thinning out of one small clump.

Extension iin Buckingham Road

This was meant to be one of those posts about a construction project hidden behind sheeting where I speculate about what might be to come but by the time I got around to posting this "before" picture the "after" had already been revealed!

The revealed extension fits in quite well with the original house and neighbours thanks to the careful choice of bricks. The grey windows do mot match though, and they rather spoil an otherwise good job,

Jolly window

Perhaps it was because of the extraordinarily long run-up or the unseasonally warm weather but Christmas seemed to lack some of its usual fizz this year ao it was good to have this jolly window in Ham Parade to mark the festive season.

Chipped path

The footpath that was created about a year ago along Church Road, past the Richmond Chase development, has been made more substantial, and obvious, with the addition of wood chippings.

Cherry Garden at Ham House

The brief winter sunlight was as kind to the Cherry Garden at Ham House as it was to the house itself.

Silent Space

The Cherry Garden at Ham House, filled with lavender and santolina. has been designated a Silent Space.

Ham House in winter sun

A rare sunny day allowed the south side of Ham House to look its very best.

Cavan Bakery coming to Ham Parade

Cavan Bakery coming to Ham Parade reusing the unit that used to be Le Look Image and replacing the service that was provided by Rowleys.

Cavan will be familiar to many people as they have shops just across the river in Teddington and others further afield in West London. I worked in Teddington for a couple of years and Cavan was my regular lunchtime stop and I look forward to renewing that relationship in Ham.

b.t.w. The way this blog works is that I usually write the entries some time after the photos are taken and they get published some time after that and so, if you read this regularly, you will see me apparently commenting on the unit being prepared after we know what is coming. News can age quickly!

Changes at the former Le Look Image

Le Look Image was on Ham Parade for just over thirty years and when the owners retired in April 2025 the unit was left empty for several months but now it looks as though it may be coming back into life as the careful dismantling starts.

Steel supports

The scale of the work being done to Launch Lock can be seen by the number and size of the steel supports that cross the lock.

Teddington Lock in context

I took this picture to capture the delightful jumble of the maintenance works at Teddington Lock and was pleased to also get the equally delightful jumble of the Wharf development behind it and the still reflective river in front.

Border planted

As expected, the border to the little patch of green in the corner where Ham Farm Road meets Parkleys has been planted. Previously a line of fir trees stood here and the new varied planting is a welcome improvement.

Appreciating Ham Close

The exterior of the first block of the new Ham Close has been revealed and there is a lot to like, particularly the way that the frontage is broken up with recesses, balconies and a band of stone below the upper level.

Not obvious in this light, the bricks in the middle section are slightly lighter which is another good design feature.

And the windows are white with horizontal and vertical bars.

Approaching the new Ham Close

With most of the scaffolding gone from the first blocks of the new Ham Close it is possible to start to see how the development will fit into its surroundings, and so far it kooks good.

This is the view looking east along Woodville Road. Here the trees do a decent job of hiding the block even devoid of leaves and what can be seen looks fine too.

Walking past and looking west the new block has the much the same shape and scale as the old one. Any fears that the new development would oppressively dominate Woodville Road have been shown to be unfounded.

Garage conversion

Many of the houses in Royal Park Gate have had their garages converted into living accommodation over the years and this time I caught the work in progress with the new windows in place and the old garage door waiting to be disposed of.

A curve of plants

The little corner where Ham Farm Road meets Parkleys is getting better with more planting and these new arrivals do a good job of neutralising the ugliness of the concrete bollards.

Extension and more

Until recently, this odd pair of semis in Craig Road looked distinctly unloved then two years ago the one on the right was transformed making the one on the left look even worse in comparison, so it is good to see that the second house is now being worked on.

Remembrance

This dramatic memorial dominates the middle section of Back Lane, in a good way.

Clarendon SEND School rises

It is now possible to get an idea what Clarendon SEND School in Meadlands Drive will look like, albeit from a distance. It looks fairly conventional which while not a bad thing it is not a great thing either.

31 Ham Farm Road progresses

I have been following progress at 31 Ham Farm Road since it restarted in 2022 and it is still very busy there every time that I walk past, as the clutter shows.

While most of the work is at the back there are noticeable changes to the side and front and it is the possible future changes to the front that interest me. The mix of blocks and bricks suggests a rendered finish which could make it as boring as its neighbour, number 29. The black windows do not help either.

1-9 Sandpits Road

I suspect that I may have inadvertently wondered onto a private parking space to take this photo but the temptation to get a decent picture of 1-9 Sandpits Road was too much for me. From this angle you get a glimpse of the lower level which you cannot see from the road.

These houses are included in the modernist architecture guided walk Perambulation Nº27—Richmond to Ham by Stefi Orazi.

No garden

Moat od the houses in Buckingham Road have retained their low brick walls at the front and some sort of garden behind them so it rather stands out when one breaks the convention removing both its wall and all of its garden.

New trees in Kingfisher Drive

Wates Estate has good landscaping but even so it is still good to see a few new trees planted to break up this long brick wall in Kingfisher Drive.

KP10 LDE

White shed

One of the white houses in Burnell Avenue has gained at attractive white shed.

YP71 JWD

Lone tree

The main reason for walking along Ham Farm Road so regularly (most days) is to keep an eye on all of the building projects there and the second reason is this little corner where Ham Farm Road meets Parkleys.

In recent months the corner has been cleared, then seeded with grass, which grew very quickly, then a border was cleared along the two fences and now a tree has appeared in the corner.

Worrying extension

This house on the corner of Thamesgate Close is getting a worrying extension that is distinctly out of character for the estate which has a distinct character of red brick and semi-open porches.

25 Ham Farm Road

I had been trying to take a picture of the rebuilt 25 Ham Farm Road for a few weeks only to be frustrated by parked vehicles and some leftover building materials, so I was pleased to finally find it free of obstructions. 

It is a rather fine house, well deserving its place in a road rich in unique fine houses (and some others).

Grey twins

These semis in Dysart Avenue are being updated together which makes sense for things like the shared roof and also gives a welcome conformity of style with the same rendering, unlike before.

While these houses are clearly twin-like there are differences, e.g. the one on the left has a side extension and the one on the right has windows in the roof. The windows are also different though maybe just close enough in style for it not to matter.

Repeat offender

Pavement parking

On the rails

My main reason for visiting Ham Farm Road frequently in recent months is the large amount of building work going on but there is also the filming of Ludwig series two happening. 

A large number of people and alot of equipment is used to film a few interior shots; I try to avoid taking pictures of people so here is one of some iteresting equipment instead.

Stepped ridge

I have recorded the way that the common stye of roofs on the houses on Petersham Road opposite Richmond Golf Club has been slowly eroding, with the worst case being the grey roof next to this one. An effort has been made here to get it right with a stepped edge on the ridge tiles but their colour does not match the rest of the roof.

The main roof is the same as the porch, it was just easier to take a close-up of the lower roof.

Latest works at Ham Cross

There are works at Ham Cross regularly for a variety of reasons (water, electricity, telephony, ...) and each time there is significant disruption. In this case crossing the road to get to the bus stop was something of a challenge.

Unexpected windows

I visited Cedar Heights specifically to see is number 14 had been demolished, as per its approved planning application, and was very surprised to find it not only standing but equipped with new Anglian windows.

One one hand I am disappointed that the interesting new building shown in the plans will no longer be built but I am happy that the new windows are exactly right for the house.

Ham Close emerges

The Ham Close redevelopment will shape the heart of Ham for a generation and more so it is encouraging that the first part of the first block to emerge from its scaffolding looks good with the protruding sections and the variation in brick colour successfully breaking up the bulk of the building.

Footpath closures

I am not aware of any work that needs doing to Meadow Close so I will be interested to see if there are any noticeable changes when it reopens. The same comment applies to nearby Hazel Lane which is closed on 3 November.

1-9 Sandpits Road

I have long wanted to posy a picture of the cute cottages in Sandpits Road but have always been thwarted by their inaccessibility (sunken plots, fences and trees) and my unwillingness to pry into private areas, I could just go up to the fence and take a photo over it but that would be to intrude. 

I was forced into trying to take a picture of them because they are included in the modernist architecture guided walk Perambulation Nº27—Richmond to Ham by Stefi Orazi.

What you can see of the cottages is pretty enough, thanks to the windows, and there is the added bonus of finding that one of the cottages has decided to be cream rather than white.

Spot the difference

Many of the things that I post here are changes that I spot subconsciously when walking, something catches my eye and I stop to try and work out what it was. The gate to The Old Coach House on Petersham Road did just that.

Even now I am not sure what changed or when. It may have been a fresh coat of paint or perhaps it was the removal of the hoop handle that was there in 2008!

Update on Gordon House

It has been almost exactly a year since I posted an update on the major refurbishment and extension of Gordon House simply because while the works have clearly been extensive they have also been mostly hidden behind the high hoardings. And so it was a relief to finally find the large gates open when walking past.

It looks as though the refurbishment of the original house is all but finished, the extension is well underway and work is just starting on a new garage.

Major Launch Lock works

The works at Launch Lock looked pretty big when I reported on them earlier in the month and they have since grown with a large section of the towpath closed for pedestrians, marooning the coffee van.

And new signs show that the encampment along the footpath is also connected with the works and that these works are projected to run until Summer 2026.

That is a lot of work on locks that were worked on for an equally long period only last year.

Charging point

A charging point seems to be installed on Ashburnham Road opposite the junction with Ferrymoor, which is an odd place to encourage people to park. 

Also, while the post it would fit well in the older parts of Ham looks somewhat out of place in modernist Wates Estate.

7 Ham Farm Road

Despite the recent large extension on the left, 7 Ham Farm Road s one of the houses included in the modernist architecture guided walk Perambulation Nº27—Richmond to Ham by Stefi Orazi. I think that is because the original house is largely intact and the extension is extremely sympathetic to the original.

It is certainly a house to admire whenever you walk past it.

Work at Ivy Cottage

There seems to be quite a lot going on at Ivy Cottage on Upper Ham Road. The sizeable collection of old windows is the biggest clue while the disturbed ground beyond the open gate and the plasterboard suggest that the work is more than just windows.

Pleasingly, the open gate also reveals the deep red ivy at the back of the house.

Pavement blocked

Ivy House sign

The last sign, literally, of what used to be The Ham Brewery Tap in Ham Street has gone with the pub sign at the front bening replaced by a new one for Ivy House.