London may be known for the majestic River Thames, its winding canals, and various lidos.
However, experiencing the sea and sand on a sunny day typically requires long train journeys out of the city to coastal destinations like Margate, Brighton, and Southend-on-Sea.
Thankfully, a new ‘beach’ could soon be opening in the UK capital, offering residents and tourists a sandy retreat with activities, food and drinks in the heart of the city.
Since 2019, East London Waterworks Park (ELWP) has been working to acquire and breathe new life into the former Thames Water depot on Lea Bridge Road, located between Hackney Marshes and Walthamstow Marshes.
The charity’s overall goal is to create a safe, inclusive, free-to-enter haven for all, with nature at its forefront.
It seeks to establish a ‘community-owned, biodiverse park with wild swimming ponds and community spaces’.
Part of the proposal involves building a naturally filtered swimming space spanning 3,000 square metres, along with a sandy beach that could accommodate up to 100 people.
Within this area, two pools – both of which would be filled with rainwater and filtered clean by reed beds – would be constructed, one being family-oriented and the other emulating a wild swimming concept.
A new park could open in east London, which boasts two pools, a sandy beach area, an adventure area, wildflower meadows, and community-based amenities
If given the green light, the new dipping spot – which could hold space for around 1,200 swimmers a day – may become a prime location for those seeking a beach experience on a summer’s day.
The proposed park would also include multiple wildflower meadows, dipping ponds, an adventure area, a walled garden and a café, along with an on-site forest school, art studio and science laboratory.
The former industrial site currently remains a fenced-off concrete expanse while the East London Waterworks Park project awaits planning approval from Hackney Council to begin its transformation.
However, despite crowdfunding £500,000 in 2023 to secure the empty site, the charity faces hurdles that threaten to cancel the project entirely.
In January 2024, a number of London councils decided that a children’s home should instead be built on the land, though a planning application is yet to be formally lodged.
Nathan Miller, co-chair of ELWP, told Time Out: ‘The site is Metropolitan Open Land and, as such, its only credible future is one involving minimal development and open public access for all, reconnecting the marshes and nature reserves of the Lower Lea Valley.
‘We oppose the planning application for the secure facility for children, but we are unlikely to receive a definitive decision one way or another for some time.’
As part of its ‘Listening Project,’ over the course of four years, the charity gathered responses from various groups, including the African and Afro-Caribbean community, the LGBTQ+ community, disabled people, the Muslim community and the Orthodox Jewish community.
If given the go-ahead, the park could become a prime summer hotspot for Londoners seeking sand and sea, who otherwise would need to travel to Margate (pictured) and Southend-on-sea for a seaside experience
It also collected thoughts from individuals who have experienced financial hardship, homelessness or addiction.
Based on these findings, the ELWP established three primary goals for the park: fostering a sense of safety, enhancing wellbeing, and cultivating belonging.
These priorities helped shape the park’s design, which includes sensitive lighting, equipment to encourage exercise, park wardens and activities that help fuse nature and fun.
Abigail Woodman, director and chair of East London Waterworks Park, told Metro: ‘We believe the park will unlock a chain of positive changes that culminate in the long-term transformation of people and place.
‘The site is Metropolitan Open Land and, as such, its only credible future is one involving minimal development and open public access for all, reconnecting the marshes and nature reserves of the Lower Lea Valley.’
