Richmond Park (UK Parliament constituency)

Richmond Park is a constituency^{[n 1]} represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Zac Goldsmith, a Conservative.^{[n 2]}

History and character

Richmond Park constituency was created in 1997 from two old seats: Richmond & Barnes^{[n 3]} and a northern tranche of the Kingston upon Thames seat.^{[n 4]} Jeremy Hanley, MP for Richmond and Barnes was selected as the Conservative candidate for the seat's first election but lost to Jenny Tonge (Liberal Democrat). The seat was held by Liberal Democrats until 2010, when it was gained by Zac Goldsmith, a Conservative.

The area is almost entirely affluent middle-class suburbia with plenty of leafy streets, and desirable late Victorian, Edwardian, and 1930's houses, a majority not subdivided, and with large gardens. The seat has many pleasant open green spaces, including Richmond Park, one of the Royal Parks of London, the world-famous botanic gardens at Kew, and the London Wetland Centre.

The entire seat is convenient for London Heathrow Airport however northern parts of the constituency endure daytime aircraft noise from most flights using the southern runway, particularly on landing from the east. Such noise is to a greater degree than Putney but to a lesser degree than central parts of the London Borough of Hounslow and eastern pockets of the Slough and Windsor unitary authorities.^{[n 5][2]}

Boundaries

Richmond Park constituency stretches from Barnes in the north to Kingston upon Thames in the south, and includes the whole of East Sheen, Mortlake, Kew, Richmond, Petersham and Ham. The boundaries also include the Royal Park itself.

The seat has electoral wards:

• Barnes; East Sheen; Ham, Petersham and Richmond Riverside; Kew; Mortlake and Barnes Common; North Richmond; South Richmond in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
• Canbury; Coombe Hill; Coombe Vale; Tudor in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

From Kingston Railway Bridge, the boundary runs north following middle of the River Thames to Hammersmith Bridge and then southeast as far as Barn Elms. From here it is bounded by on the outside Putney Common and houses east of Hallam Road and Dyers Lane. At the south end of Dyers Lane the boundary runs along the Upper Richmond Road westwards as far as the Beverley Brook which it then follows south to the northern wall of Richmond Park itself.^{[n 6]} The boundary then follows the wall of the park as far as the Robin Hood Gate on the A3 road and follows the Beverley Brook south, until it^{[n 7]} turns west after Malden Golf Course. It then cuts across the golf course to Coombe Road, Coombe Vale, New Malden until the South West Main Line just west of New Malden station. Then the boundary curves north to follow the Kingston branch of the railway line, which it follows as far as the railway bridge over the River Thames.

This means that the constituency includes Coombe and half of Kingston upon Thames, to include Norbiton.^[3]

Latest boundary reviews

For the 2005 and 2010 election the Boundary Commission^{[n 8]} made minor changes, first in line with changes in ward boundaries. These proposals were unchanged from the originals and had 11 representations, of which ten were in support.^[4] A slightly larger change followed for the 2010 election so the central New Malden ward named Beverley into Kingston and Surbiton.^[1]

Members of Parliament

Election results

See also

• List of Parliamentary constituencies in Greater London

Notes and references

Notes

References

Coordinates: 51°26′49″N 0°16′41″W / 51.447°N 0.278°W / 51.447; -0.278