GL Hearn sponsor the Good Parks for London report for a 5th consecutive year

18 November 2021

The 5th annual Good Parks for London report, launched today, focuses on how London’s park services are performing, how land managers are meeting the on-going challenges of climate change, and the impact it has on how residents, wider communities and visitors use their local parks and green spaces.

Supported by the Mayor of London, the report looks at how London boroughs are performing against ten Good Parks criteria, including sustainability, supporting nature, community involvement, strategic planning and more. It also gives case studies from other landowners/managers who provide much needed green space.

Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues said: “The Mayor has made huge strides in increasing and protecting the capital’s green spaces. This includes investing over £20 million to help improve parks, including Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham and the Ripple Greenway in Barking & Dagenham.”

“The Good Parks for London Report’s focus on climate change couldn’t be more timely. This summer’s flash floods were a stark reminder that the dangers of climate change are moving closer to home and something London is likely to experience more frequently. London’s parks will have a key role to play in helping us mitigate and adapt to our changing climate. The Mayor is delighted to support Parks for London’s development into a Centre for Excellence, following a recommendation from his London Green Spaces Commission, helping those who design, manage and maintain parks and green spaces to respond to city-wide challenges.”

Tony Leach, Chief Executive of Parks for London said in the report: “Poor air quality and the extremes of flooding and drought are now seen and felt in our neighbourhoods, yet our parks and other green infrastructure can help provide solutions to these big challenges. So, it comes as no surprise that we have dedicated this year’s edition of Good Parks for London to parks and climate change.”

This year we congratulate the London Borough of Lewisham whose parks service has been outstanding. Other boroughs that have performed exceptionally well are Barking & Dagenham, Hounslow, Lambeth, and Southwark. Well done to Barking & Dagenham, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow, and Redbridge who were this year’s biggest improvers.

Overall, over 80% of boroughs have shown improved parks services, we congratulate all London boroughs, their staff, and volunteers for the work they are doing and thank them for participating in this report.

Councillor Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet Member for Leisure for Hounslow, said: “It is a huge honour to know Hounslow boasts one of the most improved and third-best performing parks service in London for 2020. It has been a tough year responding to the pandemic and yet we have been working hard and will continue to improve in the months to come. We know how extremely valuable Hounslow’s parks are to our communities and we only achieved what we achieved because, Council and Lampton Greenspace360 staff, residents, and volunteers, dedicated themselves to work together as a real team. A big thank you to Parks for London – this is a brilliant recognition of everyone who made it happen.”

The results of this year’s report were announced at Cross River Partnership’s online Lunchtime Launch event this afternoon, a recording of which can be found on the Cross River Partnership’s YouTube channel. 

If you would like an accessible version of the Good Parks for London 2021 report, please email marketing@glhearn.com

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