Green plans will link river and Olympics

The development of Lea River Park will revive an area that has been neglected and will encourage the creation of new businesses and homes.

The park will breathe new life into East London and connect the Olympic Park in the north of the Lower Lea Valley to the river Thames in the south. Near East India Dock Basin.

It will use the River Lea and the new ‘Fatwalk’ parkway to unite six different park areas. Some of these parks including Three Mills Green already exist but are under-used and lack facilities, while others require major works or access for the public via private land.

The plan, which includes playgrounds, orchards, woodland, flower gardens, water-sports and a new cinema, will start taking form next year when the work is due to start. Some £28 million of public funding will be invested in the first phases of the new park over the next three years.

Peter Andrews, Chief Executive of LTGDC said, “It will connect communities on either side of the Lea River and provide desperately needed open space for local people. Crucially, it will also shape the development that happens in the area. By creating a high quality environment we will drive up the quality of design for the 35,000 homes we expect will be built in the area in the next decade.”

According to Sir Terry Farell’s vision, the major new parks connected to the Lea River Park will be in the Three Mills and Twelve Trees Crescent areas near Bromley by Bow and Leven Road, further south near the Aberfeldy estate and just west of Canning Town.

Design for London director Peter Bishop said: “A walk along the Lower Lea reveals an amazing landscape that should be accessible to all – and that could provide the common ground needed to reunite the fragmented communities from east and west of the Lea. There are some extraordinary landmarks here too, the legacy of an impressive industrial past.”

Development Manager of LTGDC Julia Humphreys said, “This new park is not a luxury, it is a necessity. We will need to raise more funds and will be tapping people in Canary Wharf for some I am sure.”

Terry Farrell’s other recent design of a 14,500m2 aquarium, part of the £1.5 billion redevelopment of Silvertown Quays, East London is under financial review due to the credit crunch.