Borough, Bankside and Bermondsey

Leathermarket Gardens Community Hub

Leathermarket Gardens is a much loved park situated between Bermondsey St and London Bridge. It is well used by residents and those coming into the area for work or entertainment. Ongoing development, especially around St Thomas St, will increase local footfall and impact park use. There is a need to improve the quality of the park, specifically its accessibility and how it connects to its surroundings. We want to extend the greening of the park into the adjacent estate and help address the climate emergency with resilient plantings that mitigate the impacts associated with the urban environment.

Vision

Following walking tours and consultation during the development of the social regeneration charter, the CIL cabinet report, and the formation of a community steering group, the following vision is proposed:

To expand Leathermarket Gardens' offer as a community hub, with improved entrances, routes, amenities and biodiversity to improve the wellbeing and life chances of all local residents (including young people), prepare for an increase in local population and the climate emergency

The community steering group explored lots of ideas to improve the gardens and surrounds which could be phased over time. The following prioritisation, in order, is suggested:

  1. Seek to negotiate community access to ball court and acoustic/green screen: Note sub-group to take forward community access to ball court and acoustic/ green screen immediately lead by Southwark Parks Team
  2. Strengthen connection and routes between the park and Tyers Estate by improving greening and biodiversity within the estate
  3. Expand park into Tyers Gate
  4. Re-design entrance to the park at Kirby Grove
  5. Re-design area between village hall and ball court with potential additional sports facility
  6. Adjust the design of the mound area to include picnic tables, gabions, additional planting, and a new route with entrance in NW corner to strengthen the connection between Leathermarket Gardens and Guys Park
  7. Improve pergola area in rose garden
  8. Work with adjacent building owners to install vertical greening on blank walls
  9. Develop long term plan to improve the Bermondsey Village Hall with the highest possible environmental credentials

Design stage 2 consultation

The process included:

  • an online consultation
  • a public drop-in afternoon on Tyers Gate from 12.30pm to 5.30pm on 13 July 2022
  • a meeting with a Bermondsey Street Residents Association (BSRA) representative and some Tyers Estate residents
  • an additional questionnaire developed by the BSRA for Tyers Estate residents.

The purpose of the consultation was to open the project discussion up to the wider community and check initial design ideas on the local steering group’s project priorities.

The report provides an overall summary of the conclusions drawn from the process and feedback from each individual engagement process. The consultation report and the consultation documents can be viewed from the links.

To progress the project further consultation was carried out with Tyres Estate residents, Snowsfield School and The Village Hall trustees. The Consultation documentation can be viewed here. 

Next steps

  • design development
  • further consultation will be updated here

Page last updated: 26 February 2024

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