 Three Kingston University students have joined activists accused of illegally squatting on Raven’s Ait Island, Kingston, in an environmental protest in the River Thames.
The group, part of the Circle Community project (http://www.circlecommunity.org/index.php), have invited Kingston students to come and discuss critical environmental issues such as climate change and global warming at their eco-conference centre on Raven’s Ait Island. Peter Phoenix, 38, the man responsible for the occupation of Raven’s Ait Island, said: “We’ve occupied this island out of urgent need for action on our critical environmental situation. “We want to create a green centre that’s self sustainable. Somewhere to hold talks about the environment, to educate people and a place where people can come and discuss the critical issues. Even if we’re only here for a few months or so, we can then pass the island off onto other environmental groups or to Kingston University to carry it on,” he said. Youseff Martin, a second year English student, got involved with the group through contacts he made at another Circle Community occupation in Peckham, south London, “I’ve been living here for about a week and a half. It’s not the easiest of situations but I’m passionate about it. “There’s lots of work to be done, we’re creating a permaculture in the garden and it can be pretty difficult trying to juggle it with Uni work, but it’s definitely worth it.” The group had initially been branded “squatters” and “river gypsies” following their initial occupation of the island, but Kingston Council was forced to take them seriously after the group successfully put in an official plan to develop the island into a “Green conference centre” on Monday. “They referred to us as ‘naughty children’ when we went to speak with them for the first time,” said Mr Phoenix. “But we spoke to Gerry Sevenoaks [Head of Strategic Services] at the council and he was happy to accept our proposal along with any others provided we had it in by Monday.” The proposals outlined plans to re-develop the multi-million pound complex which was previously used as a wedding centre until the business collapsed in 2008 and the island left derelict. Plans include keeping the existing structure and turning it into an ecological conference hall, equipped with a TV studio, debate hall and eco-cinema. “We want to bring together a wide network of groups, both local and from the wider established ecological movement,” said Mr Phoenix. The plans also detail various health and as safety checks that were carried out last week to ensure the island was not a health hazard. Other offers for the island have come from local businesses, including Hotel Antoinette and a consortium lead by Turks Launches, who both want to keep it as an entertainment venue. A spokesman from Kingston council said: “The bigger issue here is over the piece of private land that’s been illegally occupied. It is currently owned by the council. The council already set out its budget in which they were looking to sell Raven’s island and that would have brought in some extra funds for the local area.” This idea, however, has angered many local residents who want to protect the island where the historic ‘Treaty of Kingston’ was signed in 1217. Kingston resident John Johnson said: “Here we have Kingston Council flogging something off to a load of fat cats. We have to speak with the council and have mediation to reach some sort of understanding because what I don’t want to see is Raven’s Ait, another piece of our heritage, being sold off to fat cats”. Sharon Madigan, a Surbiton resident said: “On one hand it sets terrible terrible precedent, but on the other hand it might make a fantastic special exception, it’s really up to them.”
The group hope to extend their stay on the island by getting an adjournment later this week at Kingston Magistrates Court.
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