Critics of Council plans to redevelop Twickenham Riverside to create a new heart for the town say the net cost to the borough of £20 million could be better spent.

The total cost is put at around £45m to build two apartment blocks, a pub, café, shops and some offices, plus new public space, promenade and gardens.

However, following receipts from property sales, rents and grants, the net cost to the Council and Council Taxpayers has been estimated at £20m plus interest.

Separately, economic estimates by the Council suggest that the scheme will be worth £20m over 30 years in terms of making the area more attractive to visit and spend their cash.

Twickenham Riverside Trust represented by Ted Cremin and Celia Holman

The Twickenham Riverside Trust is leading opposition to the scheme, which will incorporate 21 affordable homes plus another 24 properties in a block at Wharf Lane, which would be sold.

The Trust opposes the Wharf Lane block on the basis it is too tall. It is campaigning for this element of the scheme to be abandoned.

The controversy over the future of the site is being played out at a public planning inquiry into a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for the Diamond Jubilee Gardens, which will be moved to a new, larger area on the site.

The Trust runs the gardens and insists they should be retained and expanded as part of any scheme to redevelop the Riverside.

The Trust has been torn apart by disagreements over the scheme with a number of Trustees resigning in protest at its attempts to block the redevelopment.

The organisation's objection to the Council scheme has pushed back a start on the project – a delay that will drive up the cost given increases in the price of materials and labour.

Artists impression of the view from the bottom of Water Lane (Credit RBC)

At the same time, the Council has had to set aside £500,000 to cover the cost of the CPO Public Inquiry as well as any costs associated with a prolonged design and planning process.

Separately, Richmond Council and Council Taxpayers have funded the Trust's legal advice and surveyor reports that were sought during negotiations over the future of the site. The Trust itself is funding its presentations at the planning inquiry.

Inquiry chairman, Peter Rose, criticised the Trust on Tuesday morning for submitting a raft of new inquiry written submissions without proper notice. He described the move as 'very concerning', saying it was 'not how an inquiry should be run', as well as being 'totally unfair' and 'totally unreasonable'.

The Trust chairman, Ted Cremin, challenged the finances of the Riverside scheme in evidence to the inquiry on Tuesday.

He said the Wharf Lane building and the 24 private apartments for sale it will contain are not required for the Council to meet the area's house building targets.

And Mr Cremin challenged whether the scheme, which he described as 'un-green', would deliver the economic benefits predicted by the Council.

The Council insists that the Wharf Lane building and receipts it will generate are crucial to financing the entire scheme, including the 21 affordable homes.

Mr Cremin described the net cost of the scheme of £20m – plus interest - to the Council as a 'tax' to be funded by the people of Richmond.

He told the inquiry: "Rather than spending £20m of taxpayers' money … have the authority considered spending that money on a programme of acquiring and converting to residential the substantial office space that has recently become available in Twickenham town centre?

"For example, three major high street banks have closed in this year alone. Or have they considered spending the money on repurposing their own underused office space?

"All could be achieved alongside achieving a larger landscaped Twickenham Riverside."

View from the Eel Pie Island footbridge (Credit RBC)

Under questioning by the Council's barrister, Mr Cremin accepted that the Trust had unanimously supported an early version of the scheme. This is before it went through some changes, largely in response to requirements from the Environment Agency.

He also accepted that at one stage the Trust had been 'delighted' with the scheme, which included the concept of a Wharf Lane building.

Mr Cremin accepted that a number of Trustees, including local architect, Sam Kamleh-Chapman, had resigned from the organisation after it changed its position and decided to oppose the redevelopment.

He argued the final scheme is 'fundamentally different 'to the one the Trust had initially supported and been 'delighted' with.