Richmond Council grants Pensford Field lease to mental health charity amid legal challenge
Richmond Council's Finance, Policy and Resources Committee has voted to grant a 10-year lease of Pensford Field Nature Reserve in Kew to the mental health charity Dose of Nature (DoN), following a lengthy meeting on 25 June.
The decision was made after over three hours of debate, which included public representations from both supporters and objectors.
Due to "allegations of bias" against Councillor Gareth Roberts' involvement with awarding a lease to DoN, which he denies, he removed himself as chair of the meeting for the Pensford Field agenda item and Vice-Chair, Cllr Nancy Baldwin, stepped in.
The final decision has prompted the current leaseholder, Pensford Field Environmental Trust (PFET), to instruct lawyers to launch a judicial review.
Ahead of the meeting, Richmond Council received 356 representations in total on the draft lease proposal, with 190 objecting and 163 in support.
The existing lease held by PFET is set to expire on 29 September 2025, but was originally due to run for another two and a half years.
Dose of Nature is a Richmond-based charity that provides nature-based therapy programmes to support mental health.
The charity intends to use the space to increase its client capacity from 300 to 500 people a year, an increase of around four individuals per week according to the charity.
During the meeting, members of the community and both charities voiced opinions on the lease proposal.
Martin Baker, from the Richmond Council Watch YouTube channel, argued the process had been "unjust and undemocratic", while PFET volunteers, raised fears about increased footfall, potential loss of biodiversity, and the future of volunteer involvement.
Mr Baker told the committee: "Having made over one hour of reporting and commenting on the matter across six videos on the Richmond Council Watch channel, I can say with confidence that what has happened here is unjust and undemocratic.
"This committee should not be sitting here tonight making the latter half of the decision having played no part in the former decision to terminate the lease, when property matters are the sole responsibility of this committee...
"This proposal is entirely speculative and we have to balance any speculative gains against what is being lost.
"You are losing a group of passionate, unpaid volunteers who have poured their hearts and energy into this nature reserve for decades and have been simply cast aside."
PFET volunteer, Katrina Roach, added: "Under charity law Dose of Nature isn't allowed to spend money on conservation, its objective is the relief of sickness through the provision of programmes of engagement with nature to treat mental health issues.
"Nowhere in its objects does it mention the preservation of the natural environment.
"We argue that Pensford Field should continue to be run by the Trust, a charity with conservation as its core objective with proven success in increasing biodiversity on the field."
Chair of PFET, Sarah Atkins, said the charity's exclusion from the proposed lease process could impact educational access, including that of local schools and nurseries.
She requested that free school access be formally included in the lease terms.
In support of the proposal, DoN Trustee Amelia Gossel emphasised that the charity shared the community's desire to preserve the field.
"We recognise the huge importance of Pensford Field to the local community and have a great admiration for volunteers that have sustained this wonderful green space in Kew," she said.
"We will ensure the field helps increasing numbers of people from the boroughs struggling with mental health, remains welcoming to the whole local community and retains its distinct quality as a haven for wildlife and nature conservation."
Founder of Dose of Nature, Dr Alison Greenwood, also addressed concerns over footfall and biodiversity.
She said the increased access would allow them to support more people in crisis and highlighted praise from GPs and patients.
"My time in Pensford Field has done more for me than probably anyone will ever be able to understand," said one DoN client quoted by Dr Greenwood during the meeting.
Councillors debated amendments including a commitment that schools would not be charged for access or use of on-site toilets, which was accepted by the committee.
DoN's Management Plan for the site will also be subject to oversight from the Council's ecology team one month before its lease begins as well as annually throughout the course of the lease.
While several councillors, including Cllrs James Chard, Robin Brown and Katie Mansfield, voted in favour, Cllr Caroline Wren abstained, after admitting she could not vote against either side.
Following the meeting, the Richmond & Twickenham Green Party told Richmond Nub News that it was 'shocked' to have learnt that Cllr Richard Bennett had been denied the right to speak at the meeting, despite having registered properly to do so.
The chair of the meeting had told them that this was on the grounds of already having an opposition cllr on the committee (Cllr Wren).
They also say that the opposition cllr suggested that the Council manage the field for the next year, giving a chance for the dispute between the two charities to be resolved, but that the committee chair did not consider this.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Chas Warlow, said: "It's a complete mess and an abysmal process. The Council should have consulted PFET prior to terminating their lease.
'Local residents have given their time and commitment to maintaining this lovely green space for the benefit of adults and children alike – they deserved better than this shoddy treatment.
"The Opposition has proposed a very sensible way forward but the Leader and the rest of the Committee vetoed it – this is what happens when you have one-party domination of a council."
PFET's current lease ends on 29 September 2025. Following the meeting, the charity has instructed its lawyers to start a judicial review of the decision.
To watch the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee meeting from 25 June click here.
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