Borough, Bankside and Bermondsey

Leathermarket Gardens is a well-used park between Bermondsey Street and London Bridge. Ongoing development, especially around St Thomas Street, will increase local footfall. We need to improve the park so it is prepared for a local population increase and the effects of the climate emergency. We will do this by: 

• improving accessibility and connections to surrounding areas
• extending the greening of the park into neighbouring areas 
• increasing biodiversity to improve the wellbeing and life chances of residents 
• expanding the park’s offer as a community hub

Priorities

A community steering group was formed to explore ideas to improve the gardens and surroundings. They suggested this prioritisation:

1. Negotiate community access to the ball court and acoustic/green screen 
2. Strengthen connections and routes between the park and the Tyers Estate by improving greening and biodiversity  
3. Expand the park into Tyers Gate
4. Redesign the entrance at Kirby Grove
5. Redesign the area between Bermondsey Village Hall and the ball court, with potential addition of a sports facility
6. Adjust the design of the mound area to include picnic tables, gabions, more planting, and a new route with an entrance in the north-west corner
7. Improve the pergola area in the rose garden
8. Work with building owners to install vertical greening on blank walls
9. Develop a long-term plan to improve Bermondsey Village Hall with the highest possible environmental credentials

Consultation process

The process began with:

• walking tours 
• formation of a community steering group
• consultation around the development of the social regeneration charter

Stage 2 opened the discussion up to the wider community to check the steering group’s priorities. It included:

• an online consultation
• a drop-in afternoon on Tyers Gate  
• a meeting with a representative of Bermondsey Street Residents Association (BSRA) and Tyers Estate residents
• a questionnaire developed by the BSRA for Tyers Estate residents

The report provides an overall summary of the conclusions and feedback from each engagement process.  

Further consultation was carried out with Tyres Estate residents, Snowsfield School and The Village Hall trustees.