Lancaster Estate Rain Garden - light case study

Where

The Lancaster Estate rain garden is part of a series of environmental improvements implemented within an underused and unattractive open space within an area of social housing in southeast London not far from Waterloo Station.

The site lies within an area of open space flanked by Lancaster Street on one side and high-density housing along the others.

The area contained a small play space and grass with areas sub-divided by bow top fencing. The lack of features and points have interest had led to a sense of abandonment and a lack of social cohesion.

The site was part of a feasibility study for Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) charity to understand how best to deliver improvements to green spaces within the estates in and around Lancaster Street in SE1.

The study incorporated community ideas from a local steering group and created a plan of interventions that could be delivered as a joint-client for the project.

The new rain garden was part of a suite of environmental improvements which has been funded by section 106 funding from the Blackfriars Circus development by Barratt's to deliver improvements to the public gardens within the estates along Lancaster Street and in the adjacent streets including Boyfield, Silex and King James Street.