Burgess Park takes massive step towards major transformation.
Published 22 July 2011
Work has officially begun on a multimillion pound renovation of Burgess Park in Southwark, to create a new play area, landscaped spaces and a bigger, more attractive lake when it reopens next spring.
Burgess Park is benefiting from a huge investment boost worth £2m through the Mayor of London Boris Johnson's Help a London Park scheme, and match funding of £4m from the Creation Trust (formerly Aylesbury NDC).
Kulveer Ranger from the Mayor of London's office, Charlotte Benstead from Creation Trust, Cllr Barrie Hargrove from Southwark Council, and contractors Balfour Beatty and other community groups assembled at Burgess Park this week to celebrate the start of works.
When the works are completed, the park will boast new entrances, a new playground, new pathways, additional wildlife habitats and newly landscaped open space.
Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor of London's Director of Environment, said:
"The Mayor wants to put the "village" back into the city and Burgess Park is a great example of his vision. This major regeneration will transform the park into a cleaner, greener and safer community space for generations to come. It is fantastic that the real work to rejuvenate the park has now begun and we can look forward to re-opening a green oasis with a new play area, a better layout and more wildlife areas after this much-needed facelift."
Charlotte Benstead, Director of Creation Trust, said:
"I'm delighted that the park is getting this long-awaited transformation, and would ask that residents bear with us while some parts are closed off. We know that some people will miss having access to the full park while the works are happening, but there is a full programme of sports activities for young people across the Aylesbury estate, and all the official sports facilities at the park are still open."
Cllr Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling at Southwark Council, said:
"I'm really pleased that we've reached this important milestone, as the park continues on its journey towards a once-in-a-generation transformation. Next spring we'll be able to unveil an enormously improved park, one that we'll continue to improve once these works are complete, and I'm confident the new look will get a huge thumbs up from the public."
Jim Tolputt, from Balfour Beatty, said:
"We are delighted to be working with Southwark Council on the regeneration of Burgess Park. When the revitalisation scheme is complete the new park will benefit the local community for many generations to come."
Background Information
Improvements
The improvement works will give visitors to the park a far more enjoyable experience, with better access to nature by creating a variety of different habitats, attractive horticultural planting, improvements to the lake, increasing by approx 800m², the removal of redundant roads and pathways (and those that remain improved), new entrances and better defined boundaries, and the creation of a new striking identity.
Visitors to the park will see:
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92,000 newly planted items
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Two new wetland habitats created for the redesigned lake
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2,300m² gain in scrubland
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164 extra trees
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A new over fives play ground
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A newly created lawn and wildlife garden (St. George's gardens)
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New 'rain gardens' that capture surface water drainage at entrances
Access
The work will result in the closing off of several parts of the park, but the cafe and Chumleigh Gardens areas, the sports facilities (tennis, Astroturf, rugby and cricket), Cobourg Road wildlife area, St. George's Church , the old baths and library, the adventure playground, Surrey Canal Walk and spaces to the east of Trafalgar Avenue will remain open.
Funding story
Burgess Park was granted £2m by the Mayor of London in March 2009. The Mayor's grant was matched with a further £4m of funding which was secured through an enhanced partnership between the council and the Aylesbury New Deal for Communities (now Creation Trust).
The £6m revitalisation project is in addition to over £1.2m that's been invested by Southwark Council in the Chumleigh Gardens open space, play area and cafe in the heart of the park.
