Birch Grove entrance: the first test of the Council’s design strategy
One of the first major parts of the Phase One redevelopment has now been completed: the Birch Grove entrance.
We initially supported the changes here. The old entrance looked tired and down at heel, and clearly needed care and attention. Sadly, however, seeing the Council’s design strategy translated from paper into reality, many of our fears have been realised.
Previously, the different uses of this space were clearly defined. Decorative railings backed by ornamental hedges separated the pedestrian space from the car park. Pergolas covered in climbing plants created a distinct seating area. The parking remained a separate, functional space. These elements have now been merged into one large open area.
The pergolas and railings have gone. Most of the planting has been cut back to ground level, leaving little beyond the mature trees to define the space. Benches appear to have been dropped into it almost at random. Is it a car park with benches, or a seating area with parking? It is difficult to tell. It certainly feels more like the edge of a supermarket car park than the entrance to a green oasis.
Has it succeeded on the Council’s own terms?
It has undoubtedly “simplified” the area. It has also opened up sightlines towards the surrounding streets, so it no longer feels like an escape from its surroundings, but simply an extension of them.
Standing in the middle of it, I do feel safe - but then I also feel safe standing in the middle of a supermarket car park. The more important question is whether you want to be standing in either of them. I fear the answer is no.
This matters because Birch Grove is the first tangible evidence of what could happen if the same design principles are allowed to unfold across the whole park: a landscape made blander, more utilitarian and less inviting in pursuit of openness and simplicity.
The old entrance had become neglected, but neglect is a maintenance problem. Maintenance can be put right. What has replaced it is mainly paving. It can be swept, weeded and pressure-washed forever, but no amount of maintenance will ever recreate the character that has been designed out.
Neglect can be reversed. Simplification cannot.
How you can help
If you'd like to help protect Langthorne Park, you really can make a difference.
Every signature helps demonstrate public support, but our Freedom of Information research also revealed something remarkable: some stages of the Council's consultation received feedback from fewer than 20 people. In those cases, a single person's views accounted for more than 5% of all responses. If you care about the future of Langthorne Park, your voice genuinely can make a difference. If you share our concerns, there are three simple things you can do:
1. Sign and share the petition
Every signature helps build support and raise awareness of the campaign. Please also consider sharing it with friends, family and local community groups.
https://www.change.org/p/protect-langthorne-park
2. Tell the regeneration team what you think
Email regeneration@walthamforest.gov.uk and ask for your comments to be recorded as feedback for the Langthorne Park regeneration consultation and evaluation. Whether you support or oppose the current proposals, it is important that your views are on record.
3. Contact your local councillor
Councillors can only represent residents’ views if they hear them. Drop your local councillor an email to let them know how you feel about the future of Langthorne Park. You can find their contact details here:
Thank you for your support. Together, we can help ensure that Langthorne Park receives the investment it needs while preserving the character that makes it such a special place.