From November 23, 2005: Councillors were warned that plans to create more shops could drive people away from Kingston town centre if it was turned into a building site for years on end.

Kingston Society members feared the disruption caused by the development of the so-called Eden Quarter between Eden Street and Clarence Street would turn the shopping area into a hideous building site.

Planners at Kingston Council agreed that disruption was inevitable but said that work would be conducted in phases to minimise the chaos.

The concerns were raised at a meeting of the Kingston Society to discuss the ambitious K+20 plans, which aimed to transform Kingston by 2020 to boost its potential as a visitor attraction.

Part of the project was to create more shops, and developerHammerson was recruited to create it.

It was hoped an action plan would be in place by 2007.

Tony Leitch, chairman of the Kingston Society, said: “It’s going to be a building site for so long.

“And the amount of shops, in the time it takes to build the development, could be affected by so many things.

“The internet shopping revolution is beginning to gather force.

“So whether they can justify 20 per cent retail is questionable.”

Mr Leitch did not think the council had allayed people’s fears that Kingston town centre would be turned into a giant building site for years. He added that planners should honour Kingston’s historic character.

He said: “Our future lies in tourism, not in business.”

10 YEARS AGO: November 23, 2005: Kingston councillors and police were wary of 24-hour-drinking laws. More than 450 premises applied for a licence to serve alcohol around the clock but none were granted. The borough was given £40,000 by the Home Office for more police. 

25 YEARS AGO: November 23, 1990: Traffic and parking problems were identified as the things Surbiton residents hated most. A survey carried out by Christ Church found that the thing the district’s residents loved most was the peaceful and green nature of the town.

50 YEARS AGO: November 27, 1965: None of the guests who had been invited to a film evening in New Malden for young Liberals turned up. Officers blamed bad weather for all the no-shows and instead organised a table tennis tournament between themselves.