Rivers as green spaces in urban environments

– 45 – RIVERS AS GREEN SPACES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS D And ew B ookes Uni ed Kingdom 1. “LOST RIVERS OF LONDON” • Ri e s cul e ed, lined o enla ged • Fauna and fl o a a ec ed by poo wa e quali y • Loss o ipa ian ege a ion • E osion o banks, leading o bank p o ec ion • Nega i e iews o wa e cou ses 2. IMPORTANCE OF RIVER CORRIDORS • P o ide na u al e uges and co ido s o wildli e • Imp o e fl ood s o age capaci y • Connec communi ies • Pubic open space p o ides an escape (heal hy en i onmen ) • Impo an o educa ion – 46 – RÍOS Y CIUDADES EUROPEAS: ESPACIOS NATURALES, CULTURALES Y PRODUCTIVOS D i e s o change • Las 10 yea s+:- – Land use planning – Legal consen s and licences – The Wa e F amewo k Di ec i e – The Habi a s Di ec i e – Miscellaneous policies – A ailable unding Figu e 1. London Plan 2004: Blue Ribbon Ne wo k – 47 – RIVERS AS GREEN SPACES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS • Unique policy – Resis de elopmen i loss o biodi e si y – Design new wa e side de elopmen s o inc ease habi a s – Take oppo uni ies o open cul e s and na u alise i e channels 3. CONTINUUM: EXAMPLE 1 • Ri e Quaggy (sou h London); Ea ly 1990s – Enhancemen oppo uni ies – Op ions e alua ion – Public in ol emen – De ailed app aisal issues eg g oundwa e – O he examples: 1950ʼs oo ball pi ches in pa ks 4. CONTINUUM: EXAMPLE 2 • Ri e Blackwa e , Su ey and Hampshi e; Ea ly 1990ʼs – De elope s mee cos – Oppo uni y o e-na u alisa ion – Two s age channel – Wildli e co ido s (in channel and on adjacen fl oodplains) – 48 – RÍOS Y CIUDADES EUROPEAS: ESPACIOS NATURALES, CULTURALES Y PRODUCTIVOS 5. CONTINUUM: EXAMPLE 3 • Ri e C ane, Twickenham, London; Ea ly 1990ʼs – Flood con ol d i en – Cons ained i e co ido – In ol emen o ipa ian owne s in bankside ea men – Unique ʻ in channelʼ co ido – No ion o C ea ion 6. CONTINUUM: EXAMPLE 4 • Ai po ; Buil 2003/04 – Pu pose o ʻTwin Ri e sʼ – £40 million om de elope – Al e na i e op ions – Issues wi h chosen op ion – Sus ainable de elopmen ? • Whe e a e he bounda ies? – Decul e ing/ a ifi cial wa e cou ses; poo wa e quali y 7. SOME CONSTRAINTS • Lack o space leading o ʻha de solu ionsʼ • ʻ C ea ion ʼ a he han e-na u alisa ion (eg low-fl ow wid h; subs a e) • Wa e quali y emains poo ; eed bed ea men • Vandalism/ a son o ʻso e ʼ solu ions causes p oblems • Need o adap i e managemen – 49 – RIVERS AS GREEN SPACES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS 8. THE OPPORTUNITIES • Coldha bou Fa m – a new de elopmen ; La e 1980ʼs – Majo e-design o 7 kilome es o wa e cou se – Enhanced house p ices • Tilmo e B ook, Hampshi e; Buil 2003 – Highly alued by he public – New issues – acous ics and c ayfi sh 9. OVERALL CONCLUSIONS • Aes he ics and o he social issues as well as ecological c i e ia • A ʻ Ho se o a cou seʼ – he e is a con inuum o app oaches • P ocesses – Sus ainable de elopmen in ol es nego ia ion – Consul a ion ie in ol e local people – Adap i e Managemen is needed o deal wi h unce ain ies