Beckenham Place Park Improvement Works

Over the course of 2023 and 2024 Lewisham Council will undertake work to improve the east side of Beckenham Place Park on the Downham side of the railway line.

Following public consultation in 2020 and 2021 we have developed a scheme with the following core benefits:

· Increased biodiversity and rewilding

· Significant flood and climate resilience benefits

· New and enhanced inclusive play, recreation, health and wellbeing opportunities.

· Improved quality and easier access to green space particularly for residents of Downham and Bellingham

· Boosting blue-green conservation skills through volunteering and training

New features and facilities in the park include:

· Extensive new landscaping, new planting and rewilding of the east side of the park with lowland meadows and wildlife-rich ponds with space to accommodate stormwater to reduce flood risk.

· improvements to the river corridor

· new and improved footpaths and wayfinding

· new activity trail and off-road cycling trail and outdoor gym to support health and fitness.

· new playground and multi-use game area

· new park café opportunity with publicly accessible toilets

· welcoming main entrance from Old Bromley Road

INITIAL WORKS
The initial phase of work has started with works to trees in the park necessary for the follow-on works and archaeological investigations.

Tree works

The eastern side of Beckenham Place has many valuable trees that are of great importance and benefit the environment, these trees will be protected throughout the works. However, there are few that are either dead or in poor health which could cause a health and safety risk. Removing or rejuvenating these trees also helps open views to the river, allow better light to the river and creates space for healthy trees that have many years ahead of them.

Any higher-quality timber will be reused within the parkland to provide informal seating, informal play or habitat piles (hibernacula) that can support a variety of wildlife including insects and amphibians. We are now working with Thames21 who are establishing a volunteer programme which will continue throughout the works to improve the environment of the river corridor, woodlands and new pond habitats on the east side of the park. You can read more about this on the Beckenham Place Park River Restoration - Thames21 website.

Extensive tree planting will be carried out as part of our improvements, this will define and provide shade along key routes at the entrance from Old Bromley Road and in the new playground. Across the wider parkland, a mix of tree species will be used to add form and interest to key routes and vistas. In addition, new hedgerow areas, shrubs, planting and natural features will be introduced, and these will provide habitat, food and nesting opportunities for birds as they mature and an ecologically rich river and riverbank environment.

Archaeology

There are very few areas in London that have been undisturbed throughout history, and some of our larger parks and green spaces represent rare opportunities to find evidence of past communities. Our work on the east side of the park involves reducing the ground levels to create the new pond and river flood storage and before this happens, we have undertaken a trial trenching evaluation to look for any evidence of earlier use of the site and any potential remains that could be disturbed.

You can read a report of the archaeological trial trenching here - link coming soon

Detailed programme of works

The full programme of work will last for around one year. A detailed timetable of work is being finalised. We will publish fuller information and regular updates on this web page.

Occasional pathway suspensions and diversions will be required during the works.

The playground will be closed for a period whilst the new play facilities are being built.

One of the earlier phases of our work is the demolition of the old changing rooms near the Old Bromley Road entrance to the park. This building will be pulled down and any reusable material will be crushed up for reuse on-site, where it can be used to form the foundation to the new pathways.

We apologise for any inconvenience the work may cause and trust you will appreciate that these will help Beckenham Place Park serve the surrounding communities for many years to come.

Contacts

If you have any queries in relation to these works, please get in touch at: beckenham.park@lewisham.gov.uk

If you have any questions about the volunteer programme please contact Catriona Ross, Beckenham Place Park Engagement Officer, by email: BPPriver@thames21.org.uk

The improvements to the east side of Beckenham Place Park are supported by the Mayor of London through the Green and Resilient Spaces Fund and the Environment Agency.