Wildspace Conservation Park

Last updated

Wildspace
Wildspace Conservation Park
TypeConservation park
Location Rainham, London
Coordinates 51°30′10″N0°11′42″E / 51.5029°N 0.195°E / 51.5029; 0.195
Area6.4 km2 (2.5 sq mi)
Created2006 (first phase)
Operated by Greater London Authority
StatusIn development

The Wildspace Conservation Park, also known as London Riverside Conservation Park or Wildspace, is a major new conservation park under development. The conservation park is predominantly in London, within the London Borough of Havering, but also extends across the capital's administrative boundary and into Thurrock in Essex. It covers much of the Rainham Marshes near to Rainham and Wennington and its area is 645 hectares. [1]

The conservation park is being developed by the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) along with the London Borough of Havering, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Mayor of London, Thurrock Council and the Thurruck Thames Gateway Development Corporation on land owned by the LTGDC, the London Borough of Havering, the RSPB, the Port of London Authority, Oldrealm Ltd and Cleanaway Ltd.

It was opened to the public in 2006 [2] and plans for its future development were set out within a new joint publication, [3] endorsed by Bill Oddie, which illustrates that the first phase of development is expected to be completed in 2008, following which subsequent phases are planned in order to develop the conservation park into a visitor attraction capable of attracting 1,000,000 visitors per annum when completed in 2023.

The conservation park is seen as a flagship new green space within the London Riverside section of the London Thames Gateway regeneration area. When complete, it will form a 6.4 km2 (640 hectares / 1580 acres) conservation, recreation and amenity zone twice the size of Hampstead Heath. [4]

Related Research Articles

London Borough of Havering London borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Havering in East London, England, forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 259,552 inhabitants; the principal town is Romford, while other communities are Hornchurch, Upminster, Collier Row and Rainham. The borough is mainly suburban, with large areas of protected open space. Romford is a major retail and night time entertainment centre, and to the south the borough extends into the London Riverside redevelopment area of the Thames Gateway. The name Havering is a reference to the Royal Liberty of Havering which occupied the area for several centuries. The local authority is Havering London Borough Council. It is the easternmost London borough.

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is a London borough in East London. It lies around 9 miles (14.4 km) east of Central London. It is an Outer London borough and the south is within the London Riverside section of the Thames Gateway; an area designated as a national priority for urban regeneration. At the 2011 census it had a population of 187,000, the majority of which are within the Becontree estate. The borough's three main towns are Barking, Chadwell Heath and Dagenham. The local authority is Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council. Barking and Dagenham was one of six London boroughs to host the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Elm Park Human settlement in England

Elm Park is a suburban planned community in East London within the London Borough of Havering. Located 14.3 miles (23.0 km) east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is identified as a district centre in the London Plan with several streets of shops and a priority for regeneration. Prior to the construction of the extensive Elm Park Garden City development in the 1930s it was a scattered settlement of farms in the south of the parish of Hornchurch. Elm Park has been connected to central London by the electrified District line service since 1935 and the planned development of the area formed part of the interwar private housing boom that was interrupted by World War II. After the war Elm Park expanded with social housing and it has formed part of Greater London since 1965.

Wennington, London Human settlement in England

Wennington is a small village and former civil parish in the London Borough of Havering, within the Metropolitan Green Belt. It is situated 14.8 miles (23.8 km) east of Charing Cross.

East London Northeastern part of London, United Kingdom

East London is a popularly and informally defined part of London, capital of the United Kingdom. By most definitions, it is east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames. It broadly comprises the London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. This understanding accords closely, but not exactly, with the interpretation of the area consisting of the former Tower Division, and London east of the Lea. The East End of London is a subset of East London, consisting of areas close to the ancient City of London. The Eastern (E) Postal District is a different subset of East London; and there is also an "East" sub-region used in the London Plan for planning policy reporting purposes. The most recent (2011) iteration includes seven boroughs north of the Thames, with the addition of three boroughs south of the river.

East London Transit

East London Transit (ELT) is a part-segregated bus rapid transit, operated as part of the London Buses network. The East London Transit opened in phases between 2010 and 2013. The scheme for this system was developed by Transport for London to meet the existing and anticipated demand for public transport in East London caused by the Thames Gateway redevelopment, and has been planned to allow for a possible future upgrade to tram operation.

London Riverside

The London Riverside is a redevelopment area on the north side of the River Thames in East London, England and part of the larger Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The London Riverside area forms part of the Green Enterprise District, a project to create a low-carbon economy region in Greater London. Land available for redevelopment is owned by GLA Land and Property. From 2004 to 2013 the redevelopment of London Riverside and the Lower Lea Valley was the responsibility of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation. There is also a London Riverside business improvement district which covers a smaller area.

Hornchurch Urban District

Hornchurch was a local government district in southwest Essex from 1926 to 1965, formed as an urban district for the civil parish of Hornchurch. It was greatly expanded in 1934 with the addition of Cranham, Great Warley, Rainham, Upminster and Wennington; and in 1935 by gaining North Ockendon. Hornchurch Urban District Council was based at Langtons House in Hornchurch from 1929. The district formed a suburb of London and with a population peaking at 131,014 in 1961, it was one of the largest districts of its type in England. It now forms the greater part of the London Borough of Havering in Greater London.

South Hornchurch Human settlement in England

South Hornchurch is a locality to the south of Hornchurch in London Borough of Havering, east London. It is a suburban development situated 13.6 miles (21.8 km) east of Charing Cross. The area is a relatively recent addition, compared with the more mature suburbs in Havering. It was built on open farmland and the former site of RAF Hornchurch.

Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve

Rainham Marshes is an RSPB nature reserve in the east of London, adjacent to the Thames Estuary in Purfleet, Thurrock and the London Borough of Havering. In 2000, the area of land was bought from the Ministry of Defence, who used it as a test firing range. With no activity for several years, the nature reserve was officially opened to the public in 2006. It has maintained much of its medieval landscape, and is the largest area of wetland on the upper parts of the Thames Estuary.

Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation was a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government. It was an Urban Development Corporation set up by the Government of the United Kingdom covering the entire borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex. It handled large planning applications in the borough, and was part of the government's plan for urban expansion in the Thames Gateway.

London Thames Gateway Development Corporation

The London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) was a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government, with directors appointed by the Secretary of State, including some democratically elected councillors. It was an urban Development Corporation charged with redevelopment of two areas of northeast London, England that are within the Thames Gateway. From October 2005, it took over certain planning functions from the councils of the borough councils in its designated area.

Barking Riverside Human settlement in England

Barking Riverside is a mixed-use development in the area of Barking, east London, England, within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. It is being built on land formerly occupied by Barking Power Station, adjacent to the River Thames, and is 10.5 miles (16.9km) east of Charing Cross. The 440 acre brownfield site has planning permission for 10,800 homes.

East Tilbury Human settlement in England

East Tilbury is a village in the unitary authority of Thurrock borough, Essex, England, and one of the traditional Church of England parishes in Thurrock.

Beam Park is a new neighbourhood in the south of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and the London Borough of Havering. It is named after the River Beam which forms the boundary between the boroughs. It will be served by Beam Park railway station in Havering. 2899 homes are planned, with 2166 in Barking and Dagenham and 733 in Havering. It will include a town centre in the Havering part of the development. It covers an area of 29 hectares. It previously formed part of the Ford Dagenham plant site. The development is a joint venture between London and Quadrant and Countryside Properties. Planning consent was given in September 2018 and construction began in May 2019. It is part of the London Riverside opportunity area and is designated as a housing zone by the Greater London Authority.

Rainham, London Suburban town on the outskirts of east London, England

Rainham is a suburb of East London, England, in the London Borough of Havering. Rainham is 13.6 miles (21.9 km) east of Charing Cross and is surrounded by a residential area, which has grown from the historic village, to the north and a commercial area, fronting the River Thames, to the south.

Public transport in the London Borough of Havering, in east London, England, is a mix of National Rail, London Underground, London Overground and Crossrail and London Buses services. Rail services are primarily radial to central London with bus services providing most of the orbital connections. The public transport authority is Transport for London and the local authority is Havering London Borough Council.

Orchard Village, formerly known as the Mardyke Estate, is a housing development in the South Hornchurch area of London, England.

Mardyke (river) River in Essex, England

The Mardyke is a small river, mainly in Thurrock, that flows into the River Thames at Purfleet, close to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. In part, it forms the boundary between the Essex hundreds of Barstable and Chafford. The river gives its name to the Mardyke Valley—a project aimed at increasing appreciation and usage of recreational land around the Mardyke.

The Green Enterprise District is a regeneration project of the Mayor of London in east London, England, with a stated aim to create a low-carbon economy region in Greater London. It coincides with the Lower Lea Valley and London Riverside sections of the Thames Gateway, which corresponds to parts of the boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham and Tower Hamlets. The flagship project is The Crystal at Royal Victoria Dock, which is built on land owned by the London Development Agency and Newham London Borough Council and opened in 2012.

References

  1. "LTGDC launches vision for London Riverside". Invest Britain UK regional development and inward investment. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  2. LTGDC opens London’s biggest new park in more than a century
  3. Wildspace: for a world city courtesy of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation
  4. 24dash.com 'World-class' riverside conservation park for Thames Gateway