History of the River Thames Visitor Centre

However after completing six years from 1993 to 1999 of work on the Barge, I thought it would not be long before the RTVC would open. All organisations and local residents felt the idea was great and even though it was an existing river mooring for over 100 years and was a premises, with floating office, for a boat hire business for 30 years and the project fell into Env 27-31 of the Richmond Council's UDP encouraging mixed uses of existing river moorings and is supported by the London Plan, after two years of negotiation with Richmond Borough Council's planners, the Centre had to apply for planning consent in 2001. I was told by Richmond's planners that this planning consent could only be temporary. On two occasions, both of which took over nine months, the RTVC was granted 2 year temporary consent. Because of this, the project did not progress for 4 years, both exhibitors and organisations would not risk their reputation on a temporary project.

From pencil to reality in 2006

During this time the Centre had to also to wait three months for a marine engineer to install the two piles into the Riverbed. Six months for a Port of London Authority's investigation, as somebody claimed they had rights to the mooring. Six months for electricity and over a year and a half for the Water Board to allow connection to the drinking water and sewage systems.