The Deputy Mayor joined a walking tour hosted by Peabody, who are leading the long-term regeneration of Thamesmead. He learned more about Peabody’s £10m investment in the South Thamesmead neighbourhood to create a green, healthier environment for everyone to enjoy.
The tour focused on the recently completed £3.9m South Thamesmead Garden Estate programme – where more than three hectares of open space has been transformed into flourishing parkland with the help of the community.
The entire programme was delivered in collaboration with a dedicated community group, the Community Design Collective, who shared their local knowledge to ensure the space reflects people’s wants and needs. Improvements include better lighting, new planting, upgraded and new play facilities, attractive seating, accessible pathways, and a variety of outdoor rooms for people to cook, play and relax.
Walking through the new spaces, the Deputy Mayor talked to members of the Community Design Collective about the programme, and local people now benefiting from the changes. He also met with local artists Joseph Ijoyemi and Cieron Peel who worked with residents to breathe new life into a ballcourt, The Cage, through bold and cheerful murals.
The duo returned to The Cage this summer, on a new project engaging local children in a striking new artwork to brighten up the outside walls. Mete Coban even made his mark on the project, after being invited by the artists to help complete the final design.
The tour ended at Southmere Lake which has recently benefited from a £2.5m programme to improve water quality and habitat, through the creation of wetlands, a 23m-high fountain, a fish-free channel and other measures. A local hotspot, the lake now offers regular canoeing and kayaking sessions from the recently opened boating club.
Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban said: "What I’ve seen in Thamesmead is an exemplary transformation. It’s an important investment in people’s mental wellbeing, creating spaces where people can go out and unwind with their families. It’s authentic, genuine engagement. It’s fantastic that Peabody has got community buy-in and that local people have a stake in it. This is an excellent example of local people co-designing spaces that work for them and help deliver our vision of a fairer, greener London."
Dr Phil Askew, Director of Landscape at Peabody, said: “Well-designed, well-kept natural spaces benefit all of us. The changes at South Thamesmead have made a real difference – from greening areas that were once very grey, to creating welcoming, accessible and exciting spaces for people to enjoy throughout the year. We’re so pleased with what’s being achieved here and grateful to the Community Design Collective, for all their dedication. Thanks to their input, we’ve been able to ensure improvements on the South Thamesmead Garden Estate reflect what people want and help nature thrive.”
Architectural assistant Dorréll Gayle-Menzie, a Community Design Collective member, said: “It’s been really eye-opening to see the positive impact that we can have in terms of having a say in our own communities. Making sure that we have some decision-making power is important because, as members of the community, we’re able to maintain and care for it better than anyone else. Having my architectural career, I now understand the nuances of what it takes to run a co-creation project like this.”
The South Thamesmead Garden Estate programme was part of the CLEVER Cities initiative – a European funded project trialling working with local people to co-create greener and healthier urban areas in London, Milan and Hamburg. The Thamesmead project was a partnership between the Mayor of London, Peabody and Groundwork. The evaluation of the programme by the Young Foundation can be found here.
Enhancing and maintaining Thamesmead’s outdoor spaces is a key part of Peabody’s mission to improve, grow and look after the town. Our approach is set out in our green infrastructure strategy, Living in the Landscape.
