New Malden residents have joined forces to create a bold future vision for their town, that includes a new leisure centre, library, performing arts centre and a town square.

After a draft development brief for the town was scrapped last year pending further consultation, the so-called New Malden Future Group is putting forward suggestions of its own. The group's early proposals focus on the Cocks Crescent site behind Blagdon Road.

It proposes turning the site into "a new heart and community focus for New Malden", with a town square, leisure centre, library, cinema complex, shops and residential developments.

It has also suggested the expansion of Burlington School on to a part of Blagdon park to create new school places and new housing developments.

Zbig Blonski, from New Malden Future Group, said: "No decisions have been made, these are just our ideas looking at what New Malden needs to revitalise it. Looking at it - it’s evident it needs investment.

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Plans put together by the group 

"We want to get New Malden off its knees and get it standing on its own two feet."

He added the group has held a positive meeting with council planners and were told further public consultations would take place during Malden Fortnight.

Annie Amos, of Blagdon Road said: "The New Malden Future Group are a working party of concerned residents who want to make sure the council does the best for New Malden with full consultation.

"The whole site will be redeveloped whatever so it’s best to try and influence what the council have in mind rather than just letting them go ahead with whatever they want."

A private public partnership process has also been put forward taking the example of Lambeth Council, which worked with private sector developers Cathedral Group and United House for the £80m mixed use scheme Clapham One, producing a new leisure centre, library, community facilities and housing at no cost to the council in 2012.

Beverley ward Councillor Terry Paton said: "It’s all early stages at the moment but I 100 per cent support these residents in getting their views and ideas across. I hope as much of these as possible are feasible."

Councillor David Cunningham, lead member for Environment and Transport, said: "The site is attracting interest from developers. I am absolutely committed to ensuring any development delivers benefits to the local community.

"Close involvement of the community has been, and will continue to be, crucial in the development of New Malden.

"Kingston town centre is the engine room of the borough; its economic success delivers benefits across the whole area. But we must not underestimate the importance of the borough’s key district centres. I am absolutely confident that a thriving Kingston town centre can exist alongside thriving district centres."