112 - Inner London : Analysis: Landscape Attributes & Opportunities

Analysis supporting Statements of Environmental Opportunity

The following analysis section focuses on the landscape attributes and opportunities for this NCA.

Further analysis on ecosytem services for this NCA is contained in the Analysis: Ecosytem Services section.

Landscape attributes

Floodplain geology with a gently terraced landform.

Justification for selection:

• Inner London sits within a wide floodplain dominated by London clay soils and gravel terraces.
• Gently terraced landform resulting from glacial and fluvial deposits.
• The origins of Roman London began at the point where the Thames could first be crossed by Ludgate Hill and Cornhill and early development patterns followed the gravel terraces which have good drainage. Later development spread onto clay soils.
• The suburbs on the edge, spreading and rising into the surrounding NCAs, were designed to retain a sense of topography.
• The landform is now almost entirely obscured by dense urban development.
• Low hills to the north provide highly valued views across London.
• Inner London hosts one Geological SSSI at Gilbert’s Pit.
• There are 11 sites in the NCA, recommended for designation as Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS) or Locally Important Geological Sites (LIGS).

The River Thames and its tributaries.

Justification for selection:

• An important historic trade route, tributary rivers and creeks were industrial cargo routes into and out of the City from the Thames. The Port of London still provides deepwater facilities for international marine traffic.
• The origins of Roman London began at the point where the Thames could first be crossed by Ludgate Hill and Cornhill.
• Vertical flood defences restrict the natural extent of the Thames river channel throughout the NCA, however intertidal muds are exposed at low tide providing important habitat fish and invertebrates.
• The Thames with its tributaries is a nationally important corridor for migrant birds. The River Lea supports the Lea Valley SPA and Ramsar site, part of which falls within the NCA, providing wetland habitats for breeding and overwintering birds.
• Strongly tidal, the river displays twice-daily contrast.
• The banks of the Thames support the Thames Path National Trail, major areas of open space, internationally important heritage sites, and seats of Government.
• The river flows into the Thames Estuary Nature Improvement Area in the east.
• The Thames provides cultural inspiration and highly valued views from its many bridges. The Thames foreshore in Inner London preserves extensive and important archaeological deposits.
• Many tributary rivers have been lost or forgotten from the landscape, by filling in or culverting to allow for building development. However, restoration projects in the rivers Lea, Wandle and Ravensbourne are bringing riverside walks, wildlife habitat and river recreation back into the heart of the city.

Large public parks, including the Royal Parks (St James’, Regents, Hyde, Green, Greenwich and part of Richmond Park), part of the Lea Valley Regional Park and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Justification for selection:

• Designed purposefully as a continuation of the built environment often belonging to large private estates.
• Some were former Royal hunting grounds featuring ‘forests’ or wood pasture managed to create good hunting conditions.
• All are now freely accessible and formally managed as amenity grassland and many contain assets such as ponds, woodlands and veteran trees.
• Created for the 2012 London Olympic Games, the Queen Elizabeth Park is London’s newest park and has significantly changed the previous industrial landscape in the east to a large vibrant park which will support 45 ha priority habitat.
• Richmond Park, part of which sits within the NCA, is an SAC, a National Nature Reserve and a SSSI.
• The ensemble of buildings at Greenwich and their landscape setting including the Royal Park, Greenwich Park, is a World Heritage Site.

Heaths and commons.

Justification for selection:

• Associated with the original ‘villages’ of London where people had the right to use the land for grazing animals and other activities.
• Historic commons lie across the sand and gravels in the south.
• Support important areas of acid grassland and remnant heathland, but mainly managed as amenity grassland.
• Provide and echo London’s rural past and historic rural character.
• Provide access to wide open skies, and views across London.
• Wimbledon Common, part of which lies within the NCA is an SAC and SSSI.
• 816 ha of common land.

A network of smaller, but highly valued green spaces that includes small public parks and greens, residential open spaces, private gardens, garden squares, churchyards and cemeteries and allotments and pocket parks.

Justification for selection:

• Public parks were created in the 19th and 20th century to provide light, air and recreation amongst the expanding development.
• Local parks contribute significantly to local identity.
• Garden squares in the west are characteristic of 18th and 19th century development of great estates, and feature dense horticultural planting and large trees.
• Private gardens feature constantly changing trends, ownership and management, and are an important resource for people and wildlife in the city. In 2006-2008 3,000 ha of gardens were lost from Greater London, given over to hard surfacing or development.
• Cemeteries were built in the 1850s because of competition for burial space in churchyards. Many are now Local Nature Reserves, for example Tower Hamlets, Highgate, and often contain historic follies, veteran trees and bat roosts.

An extensive urban forest of pocket woodlands, and trees in streets, parks and gardens.

Justification for selection:

• 690 ha of broadleaved native woodland mainly characterised by small stand of woodland in parks or linear woodlands along rail sides.
• Includes approximately 230 ha of ancient woodland (Oxleas Wood, Highgate Woods) which provide significant cultural heritage and supports important archaeological features of past management.
• Provided important resources to enable the growth of London – timber for establishing Roman Londinium, fuel for pottery kilns, charcoal for metalworking, oak bark for tanning and timber for ship building.
• Trees in streets and open spaces have significant visual amenity and play a key role in local identity, they provide links to historic character and seasonal displays.
• The urban forest is important in providing significant regulatory services to Inner London, such as air temperature and quality regulation and carbon sequestration.

A vibrant cultural history – displayed in street and settlement patterns, historic buildings, monuments and designed landscapes.

Justification for selection:

• Many features that can chart the historic development of London.
• Inner London features the highest density of World Heritage Sites in England – Maritime Greenwich, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s Church, and the Tower of London.
• 94 registered historic parks and gardens covering 1,697 ha.
• 79 scheduled monuments.
• 13,242 listed buildings.
• Architecture that draws on building stone from across the country such as Portland Stone from Dorset.

Green roofs, green walls and rain gardens.

Justification for selection:

• An increasing feature of new developments in the commercial centre.
• Occasionally retrofitted into existing developments.
• Often as a form of adaptation to climate change impacts such as surface water flooding.
• May be designed to provide other additional services such as habitat for wildlife (especially invertebrates, birds and bats) or recreation.

Historic and protected views and landmarks.

Justification for selection:

• Recognised by regional government for their significant contribution to London’s character at a strategic level.
• Composition and character of strategic views are protected by London Plan policy.
• All but two of London’s 27 designated views have both viewpoint and view within Inner London. The other two begin in neighbouring NCAs, with a view of Inner London.
• Designated views feature 6 London Panoramas, 3 Linear Views, 13 River Prospects and 5 Townscape Views, within which are 13 protected vistas of 3 strategically important landmarks (St Paul’s Cathedral, the Palace of Westminster and the Tower of London.

Remnant sites of former industry and development including canals, filter beds, railway sidings, reservoirs, brownfield sites, docks, wharfs and creeks.

Justification for selection:

• Development of the built environment is a constant feature of Inner London.
• Remnant features are scattered amongst modern development, providing links to London’s rich industrial heritage.
• Sites of former industry and inter-development sites may support priority open mosaic habitats such as flower-rich grasslands and pioneer communities.
• Some features such as canals, reservoirs and docks are now used primarily for recreational activities such as watersports, fishing or birdwatching.
• Some sites are managed for nature conservation.

An extensive network of locally designated Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation – supporting pockets of BAP and non-BAP habitat.

Justification for selection:

• 509 local sites covering 5,219 ha (16 per cent of the NCA).
• Support a wide variety of wildlife habitats of varying quality, including grassland, woodland and wetland habitats.
• High-quality sites designated as important at a metropolitan (regional) level.
• Local nature sites are particularly important in providing access to nature within Inner London.

Landscape opportunities

• Manage the urban forest, ensuring that overall canopy cover is enhanced to meet increasing demand on regulatory services. Plan for the retention and inclusion of large species trees into new and re-development. Restore the woodlands, particularly the ancient woodlands on the ridges to the north and south and manage them and the archaeological features that they contain.
• Conserve and enhance the landscape of the River Thames and its tributaries with its riverside walks, open spaces and important wildlife habitats. Restore where possible, the natural profile and geomorphology of tributary rivers, Manage the wetland and riparian habitats along the rivers Lea, Wandle and Ravensbourne.
• Manage London’s green infrastructure network of local nature reserves, parks, squares, allotments, cemeteries and residential green spaces. Strengthen the network so that it provides services where people need them.
• Safeguard the historic commons that lie across the sands and gravels of south London from Wandsworth to Plumstead.
• Safeguard the views and vistas of townscapes, river prospects and London panoramas.
• Strengthen links with London’s cultural heritage by protecting remnant sites of former industry that spread throughout the NCA and incorporating them into London’s green infrastructure network.
• Restore ecological networks, make space for nature and facilitate adaptation to future challenges by appropriate design and management of new and existing wildlife sites throughout the NCA, especially along the river valleys – connecting the city with the countryside in surrounding NCAs.
• Plan for the creation of new urban landscapes associated with redevelopment, major infrastructure projects and urban greening.
• Restore, through urban design and land management, the remnant natural features of landscape areas within Inner London.