Tag Archives: Greening projects

Do you have an idea for a “parklet” in Myatt’s Fields?

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Roaside parking spaces in Myatt’s Fields are set to be handed over to residents to be converted into an outdoor community area.

Local neighbourhoods are being asked for their ideas to make streets greener and cleaner as part of Lambeth council’s new ‘parklet’ programme, supported by the Big Shift development fund.

Parklets are car parking bays that are repurposed to become public spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone. Each Ward in the Borough will get one, including Myatt’s Fields.

Residents can submit their designs for their own local community parklet, which they would help to maintain. They could include creating new social spaces with tables and seating, extra cycle storage or new green space. Residents are also being asked to nominate areas where they would like to see a parklet.

Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, cabinet member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said:

“Parklets are a great way to create spaces where people can meet, socialise, and make neighbourhoods more pleasant by increasing greenery.

“Parklets can play a huge role in bringing people together whether it’s to sit down and have a chat or work together to tend new community gardens.

“We want as many local people as possible to tell us why their areas could benefit from new public space.”

Local councillors Paul Gadsby and Annie Gallop said:

“Myatt’s Fields has a rich history of the community driving forward gardening, bio-diversity projects and green space improvements. Across our neighbourhood we have many parks, allotments, planters and gardens that are there because local people care and invest in them – with Myatt’s Fields Park being a particularly shining example.

“With residents’ support we have helped to secure funding and support for a number of projects, including for a rewilding project on the Knatchbull Road roundabout, a new sustainable drainage scheme on Myatt’s Fields South and a tree planting programme that is particularly focused on our estates.

“We encourage residents to come forward with ideas and suggestions for the parklet project: in 2021 we successfully lobbied the Council to refurbish the Cowley Road and Vassall Road junction with new cycle paths, green planters and level accessways. This is the kind of seemingly small scale transformation that can make a real difference to the local area. So, please get your ideas in to the Council!”

Find out more about the Community Parklet Scheme and submit your designs before the deadline on May 28.

Myatt’s South estate to benefit from new Sustainable Drainage Programme

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One of Myatt’s Fields largest estates will benefit from a share of a £6 million investment programme aimed at improving drainage systems using sustainable techniques across Lambeth.

Myatt’s Fields South has been included in the new plan announced by Lambeth Council, in partnership with Thames Water, as part of the borough’s climate change action plan.

In particular, the council, acting in consultation with residents, wants to set up nature-based solutions, including “rain gardens”, to help deal with problems in locations targeted following a range of investigations.

The aim is to relieve pressure on the ageing sewage system by mimicking natural drainage features including trees and wetland areas. The Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDs) scheme will provide new green infrastructure on the borough’s streets and open spaces, reducing flood risk and offering wider benefits, such as cooling areas during heatwaves, storing carbon and supporting mental health and wildlife.

You can read more about the project here.

Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop said:

“We are very pleased that after lobbying by local councillors, Myatt’s Fields South has been included in this programme, especially as the estate has long suffered from drainage and flooding issues. This is a great green and innovative way of helping to address the problems of climate change while at the same time enhancing habitats for wildlife. Myatt’s Fields South already has a strong community of residents working on a range of environmental improvements of which this will be a welcome addition.

“Of course it itself these proposals won’t completely solve all the drainage issues on the estate and councillors are continuing to lobby the Council for further action there.”

Example of a SUDs planting option

Blooming Lambeth Awards 2022 – nominations open!

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The Blooming Lambeth Awards (2022) have opened nominations for this year’s raft of accolades aimed at celebrating community gardening and other greening projects in the borough.

Nominations are open until midnight on Saturday, 11 June: full details on the awards are available here.

“Bee Roads” cash boosts Myatt’s Fields greening effort

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Our community is to benefit from a Lambeth Council and Mayor of London initiative to improve green spaces in urban areas.

Lambeth has been awarded £440,000 as part of Sadiq Khan’s rewilding initiative which will help provide further funding for the Council’s Bee Roads initiative. This ambitious programme is aimed at converting ten miles of roadside land, including roundabouts and verges of roads, into wildflower mini-meadows which will provide habitats for wildlife including butterflies, bumble-bees and other pollinators.

The roundabout on Knatchbull Road will be a major beneficiary of this scheme. At Lambeth’s Council meeting in January, Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop received confirmation that the site had been chosen as part of the Bee Roads project.

Local Councillors have now asked Lambeth Council to deliver additional improvements as part of the project, including removing unsightly railings around the roundabout.

Cllr Paul Gadsby and Cllr Annie Gallop said:

“We have been campaigning for many years for more funding to be put into local greening and community gardening projects which really enhance the local neighbourhood for everyone, as well as improve local wildlife habitats. We have seen a lot of success in this area, including more projects taking off on our estates, which have been lead directly by residents.

“The Knatchbull Road projects is a welcome addition to the Bees Road scheme, and we are now pressing for this scheme to be expanded to include general improvements to the pavements surrounding the roundabout. We also want to see more of these projects across Myatt’s Fields.”

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