£120,000 of landscaping is completed in one of Southwark’s first Great Estate projects

18 July 2019

Residents on the Lancaster Estate, in the Blackfriars area, have been celebrating the completion of a £120,000 landscaping project to improve the shared open spaces around the estate.

The landscaping includes new “natural” play equipment and a sustainable urban drainage system.

The residents have been working with Southwark Council, local ward members and the Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) on the project, which is one of the first to be completed under the council’s new Great Estates programme.

The funding came from Section 106 money from the nearby Blackfriars Circus by developers Barratts, and follows an investment of £150,000 into play equipment and landscaping in the Peabody Blackfriars estate on the west side of the development in 2017.

Cllr Leo Pollak, Cabinet Member for Social Regeneration, Great Estates and New Council Homes, said: “The new landscaping and gardening area at Lancaster Estate is a great example of estate residents working with local community organisations to make beautiful and prized new shared spaces on their estate, as well as demonstrating how funding from nearby development can help support an uplift in everyone's living environment. I hope residents on the estate have the opportunity to get out and enjoy their new surroundings this summer.”

Charlotte Gilsenan, CEO at BOST, said: “‘Bankside Open Spaces Trust was delighted to work on improving the outside space at the Lancaster Estate.
“The attendance and feedback from the Community Fun Day to formally launch the new space was a great success, with approximately 200 local residents attending.

“We will soon be starting up a Lancaster Gardening Club with local residents. This will provide a great opportunity for the community to get outdoors and be active, meet others and take on the crucial role in supporting us to maintain and care for the outside space at the Lancaster Estate.”

Stephen Thompson, Managing Director, Barratt East London, comments: “We were so pleased to be able to help with the creation of the new landscaped play area at Lancaster Estate. Supporting communities in the areas we are building is a huge priority for us and it’s great to see such a fantastic space already being put to good use. I hope it will be enjoyed by the community for many years to come.” 

Page last updated: 18 July 2019