Plans for Wandle Valley park gather pace

A new trust - the Wandle Valley Regional Park Trust - has now been set up to drive forward the creation of a regional park along the River Wandle - stretching from Croydon and Sutton through Merton and Wandsworth to the Thames.

The goal is to give people living in the four boroughs and visitors to the area a place to escape the pressures of city life and enjoy natural habitats and outdoor pursuits.

The trust will work to protect and enhance the Wandle's open spaces and its diverse flora and fauna and natural habitats by encouraging closer involvement in the life of the river through volunteering and education. It also wants to maximise the valley's potential for sustainable transport, tourism and leisure and bring jobs, growth and greater prosperity to the area.

As well as improving the valley's physical environment, the trust also hopes to draw wider public attention to the river's rich historic legacy. 

Board members of the new trust visited Wandle Park in Croydon last week to inspect some of the regeneration works that have already been completed. These included works to free the river from the concrete culvert that has encased its waters underneath the park since the 1960s.

The board, which is comprised of 16 trustees from 11 organisations in the four boroughs, then officially met for its first board meeting. Next year the trust hopes to obtain charitable status.

Trust chairman Nic Durston said: "The partnership has been working together for over a decade but today marks a crucial step in us getting the organisation in place so we can take the creation of the regional park to the next level.

"The strong commitment from the partners, including the four London boroughs and Mayor of London, is a real cause for optimism."

Trust chief executive Peter Wilkinson added: "It is fitting that the Board is holding it's first meeting during Love Parks Week when communities across the country are coming together to demonstrate the importance of their parks and green spaces.

"The Wandle Valley Regional Park will provide a fantastic recreational resource for local residents and Londoners as a whole."

Wandsworth's representatives on the board of trustees are Sarah McDermott and Matthew Maxwell Scott.  

Sarah McDermott said: "The four boroughs are committed to working together in partnership with other voluntary groups and agencies to breathe new life into the areas around the river. The regional park will really help to boost the health and well-being of our residents."

And Matthew Maxwell Scott added: "Our aim is to make the Wandle Valley a wonderful natural resource for local communities, where people can go to enjoy its beauty, history and culture."

For centuries, the River Wandle has played a vital role in life of people in south west London. The river rises as a chalk stream in the Surrey Hills and meanders through the four boroughs before reaching the Thames at Wandsworth, flowing through residential areas, historic town centres and a number of valued parks and open spaces.

The river has a rich cultural and industrial heritage, with associations with William Morris, Liberty Print Works, calico printing, and the production of watercress and lavender. A number of the mills which generated power for agriculture and industry remain along the course of the river, whilst there are also remnants of grander landscapes of former country estates.