The borough’s parks and green spaces retain all 23 Green Flags, the awards given to the very best green spaces around the world
Ah, summer. It means picky bits bought from the supermarket, drinks drank solely from tins, it is the months when blankets are bundled under arms to put down on the grass, and a time to make the most of our city’s parks.
South London has some of the best green spaces, and now it’s been confirmed because Lewisham successfully retains all its Green Flag Awards – and also gains a prestigious heritage award.
The borough’s parks and green spaces have kept all 23 Green Flags, which are the awards given to the very best green spaces from all over the world.
Some of our favourite Lewisham parks include Blackheath, Hilly Fields, Deptford Park and Ferranti Park.
As well as retaining the Green Flags, Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham has achieved the Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England.
This is a benchmark in addition to Green Flag status for recognising and considering the heritage features of a park. It includes heritage buildings, landscapes and natural features as well as history and stories surrounding the green space.
The judges’ feedback on the heritage accreditation at Beckenham Place Park says there is a detailed and well-structured conservation management plan, and excellent community engagement. Plus, they said that the planting of the formal beds around the Mansion House and Stable Yard has restored heritage and enhanced climate change resilience and biodiversity.
The judges also highlighted how the park has a very diverse mixture of plants and trees, all of which integrate into the site’s heritage and landscape characteristics.
Four Lewisham parks were rated in the very highest scoring band demonstrating improvement from previous years across all 8 Green Flag criteria. They were: Chinbrook Meadows; Mayow Park; Sydenham Wells Park; and Frendsbury Gardens.
The criteria for Green Flag Awards include how welcoming and safe a green space is as well as maintenance, biodiversity, community involvement and management.
Lewisham Council, in partnership with Glendale and many parks’ Friends and Community groups, manages 47 parks, five churchyards and 15 nature reserves in the borough – each with its own unique character and environment.
The Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Strategy aims to make the borough’s green spaces even better by improving community involvement, boosting biodiversity and getting residents – including young people – more involved in decision-making.
Councillor Louise Krupski, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Lead for Environment, said: “Gaining an additional Green Heritage Site Accreditation is fantastic news for Beckenham Place Park and for Lewisham. This news together with successfully retaining all our 23 Green Flags in our borough is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the teams that make our green spaces special for everyone to enjoy.
“Many thanks to all our Friends groups in the borough, our partners, Glendale and our council’s parks team. As an inner-city borough, we are very proud of our award-winning parks, green spaces and nature reserves that bring so many health and wellbeing benefits to our residents.”
Paul Todd MBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, said:
“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in Lewisham for achieving their Green Flag Awards. Parks and green spaces are vital spaces for communities in Lewisham to socialise and enjoy nature, for children to play safely and it provides important opportunities for park users to improve their physical and mental health.
“We know that staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure that the high standards of the Green Flag Awards are maintained, everyone involved should feel extremely proud of their achievement. It is important that our free to use spaces are maintained to the Green Flag Award standard, making them accessible for all members of the community while ensuring the environment is protected.”
