Lewisham successfully retains all Green Flags and gains prestigious heritage award

This is a benchmark in addition to Green Flag status for recognising and considering heritage features of a park. It includes heritage buildings, landscapes and natural features as well as history and stories surrounding the green space.

Highlights of the judges’ feedback on the heritage accreditation at Beckenham Place Park included:

• a very detailed and well-structured conservation management plan with very good conservation standards seen across the site for physical and natural heritage
• excellent community engagement
• the planting of the formal beds around the Mansion House and Stable Yard has restored heritage and enhanced climate change resilience and biodiversity.
• a very diverse mixture of plants and trees, all of which integrate into the site’s heritage and landscape characteristics. Key heritage trees, historic hedges and woodland areas are well presented and visible

Four Lewisham parks were rated in the very highest scoring band demonstrating improvement from previous years across all 8 Green Flag criteria:

• Chinbrook Meadows
• Mayow Park
• Sydenham Wells Park
• Frendsbury Gardens

The criteria for Green Flag awards include how welcoming and safe a green space is, maintenance, biodiversity, community involvement and management.
Lewisham Council, in partnership with Glendale and many parks’ friends and community groups, manages 47 parks 5 churchyards and 15 nature reserves in the borough – each with its own unique character and environment. The Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Strategy aims to make the borough’s green spaces even better by improving community involvement, boosting biodiversity and getting residents – including young people – more involved in decision-making.

Cllr Louise Krupski, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Environment said:
“Gaining an additional Green Heritage Site Accreditation is fantastic news for Beckenham Place Park and for Lewisham! This news together with successfully retaining all our 23 Green Flags in our borough is testament to the hard work and dedication of the teams that make our green spaces special for everyone to enjoy. 
“Many thanks to all our Friends’ groups in the borough, our partners, Glendale and our Council parks’ team. As an inner-city borough, we are very proud of our award-winning parks, green spaces and nature reserves that bring so many health and wellbeing benefits to our residents.”

Paul Todd MBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag Award Scheme Manager said:
“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in Lewisham for achieving their Green Flag Awards. Parks and green spaces are a vital green space for communities in Lewisham to socialise, enjoy nature, for children to play safely and it provides important opportunities for park users to improve their physical and mental health.

“We know that staff and volunteers work tirelessly to ensure that the high standards of the Green Flag Awards are maintained, everyone involved should feel extremely proud of their achievement. It is important that our free to use spaces are maintained to the Green Flag Award standard, making them accessible for all members of the community while ensuring the environment is protected.”

Find out more about Lewisham’s parks and open spaces and nature reserves.