London Rivers Action Plan
Background
This page provides an overview of river restoration activities in the Greater London Authority. The London Rivers Action Plan guide, published in 2009, and resources should appeal to anyone with an interest in improving the wildlife and amenity value of a river, including community groups, local businesses, planners and developers all of whom should be working together with national agencies to achieve the aspirations outlined.
This Action Plan has been developed to provide a delivery mechanism to take forward London's river restoration strategies - “A strategy for restoring rivers in North London” (2006) and “River restoration - a stepping stone to urban regeneration highlighting the opportunities in South London” (2002).These strategies have been very successful in stimulating river restoration across the London area.
This plan will build upon their success and look for river restoration opportunities that will benefit people, businesses and wildlife by putting river corridors at the heart of regeneration and renewal through the enhancement of riverside parks, green spaces and the built environment.
The main aim of this London Rivers Action Plan (LRAP) is to provide a forum for identifying stretches of river that can be brought back to life.This can be done by improving river channel or riparian habitats, by removing or modifying flood defence structures where safe to do so, or by reclaiming 'lost' rivers currently buried under the Capital's surface. Nearly 100 projects have been identified with numerous large scale projects on the Lee,Wandle, Ravensbourne, Crane and Roding catchments.
This document focuses primarily on restoration opportunities along the non-tidal freshwater tributaries in the context of the planning process and the Mayor of London's aspirations for all Londoners to have access to high quality natural green spaces.However, it also recognises the contribution of other organisations that have specific restoration related roles along the River Thames and its estuary.
The plan
•Supports the delivery of the Thames River Basin Management Plan under the Water
Framework Directive;
•Contributes to sustainable regeneration through the implementation of the Blue Ribbon policies;
•Contributes to the implementation of the Mayor's access to nature aspirations;
•Supports one of the London Plan’s biodiversity targets to restore 15km of river by 2015;
•Supports the delivery of the Environment Agency's Thames Catchment Flood Management Plan.
Case studies
contact us
Dave Webb (Environment Agency)]
Nick Elbourne (The River Restoration Centre)]
Link back to the main Thames River Basin page: Thames
Link back to the main England country page: England
Link back to the main England background information: Country info:England - background information