London has a fantastic collection of parks, woods, commons, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, lidos, playgrounds, sports pitches, playing fields and golf courses. In inner London, many of the largest parks, the Thames and the smaller public gardens and squares are typically close to where many local people live, close to tube and train stations, along busy bus routes and readily accessible by bicycle. In outer London by comparison, the green assets are typically larger, but sometimes less accessible and frequented.
But can more be done to open up the blue-green grid to more people? Can more inhabitants easier access the grid in their adjacent neighbourhoods? Can more families, the elderly and singles access the grid without having access to or owning a car? Can more children enjoy the blue-green grid more often? Can more young, middle aged and elderly access the grid for both organised and unorganised sports – as well as informal physical and social activities? And can the grid play a bigger part in reducing social isolation among singles – whether young, parents, adults, elderly, the sick, infirm, long term unemployed or inactive?
This article explores some of the strengths and the weaknesses of the blue-green assets of London, and presents nine primary objectives for how the grid can be further developed, expanded, enhanced, linked and accessed. The article coincides with a London Assembly report on green spaces, the mayor's draft London Environmental Strategy, the London National Park City initiative and Public Health England announcing that 2 in 5 middle aged adults exercise less than ten minutes a month.
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| Beach volleyball at Gleisdreieck in Berlin. An inter-generational neighbourhood meeting place. Free to participate, free to watch. With adjacent coffee, beer, pizza huts |
An urban blue-green renaissance
This article has argued that London and Londoners can turn their city into a truly blue-green sustainable city by pursuing nine overall strategic objectives enhancing the city's blue and green assets and infrastructure.
Cycling is at the heart of this transformation, including link- ing existing blue-green assets to form a green grid for weekday commuters and weekend recreation alike. The number of regional parks and proportion of publicly accessible metropolitan greenbelt land will double and all public footpaths transformed to mixed-use paths. Nursery playgrounds, sand pitches and sport courts will be added to most parks, squares, gardens and all along both sides of the river Thames.
These and the river, side rivers, streams, canals, basins, lakes and ponds will have an enhanced role in promoting social and physical well being, including turning the former into a national riverside activity park. Four new green viaducts for bikes, buses, DLR/tram/trains and pedestrians will bridge riverside communities in eight eastern boroughs closer together.
The nine primary objectives would be delivered by the Mayor of London, the 32 London boroughs, the surrounding sixteen districts and seven counties together. With parliament adopting changes to greenbelt and footpath legislation.
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