Open Space

There are different types of open spaces designated in Southwark, including:

• Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) is a designation equivalent to the Green Belt. The designation is intended to protect areas of landscape, recreation, nature conservation and scientific interest which are strategically important
• Borough Open Land (BOL) is designated open space of borough importance. It must meet all of the following criteria: 
  • an area of borough importance to Southwark
  • a clearly distinguishable open space
  • land that contains features or landscapes of historic or recreational value at a borough level
  • it must not be Metropolitan Open Land
• Other Open Space (OOS) refers to a designation that is not MOL or BOL, but meets one of the following criteria in that it is:  
  • an allotment or a public open space, such as public parks and gardens
  • playing fields and sports ground whether publicly or privately owned 
  • a private open space which is of benefit to the local community
  • open space that has been created and secured through planning obligations
  • or a site of ecological importance 

These open spaces designations can be found on the policies map.

Any land that is not protected as open space is amenity land. Amenity land is part of development sites and is part of the red line boundary that can be considered as part of a planning application. Amenity standards are set out in the New Southwark Plan.  

In order to meet the council’s housing targets and address affordable housing needs, the council needs to make the most efficient use of land and optimise the use of land on all developments within Southwark. Therefore, amenity land is not protected in the same way as open space. 

Southwark’s open space strategy aims to increase the amount of open space in the borough. 

Page last updated: 05 April 2023