Welcome to the

Wandle Valley Regional Park website


Wandle Valley Festival - 5 and 6 June
for an update on this event please go to 'News and Events/Past Events' or the Wandle Valley Festival website

"It's a Wandleful World" conference April 2010
for an update on this event please go to 'News and events/Past Events'.

________________________________________________________________________________

The London Plan makes a commitment to achieve new regional parks in London including Wandle Valley Regional Park.









Natural England would like your views

Natural England, the government agency responsible for landscape and nature conservation, has just completed an assessment of the landscape character of the Wandle Valley. This will help address challenges, such as climate change, and develop opportunities, including the potential Wandle Valley Regional Park.

Now they would like to know what you think are the key natural aspects of the Wandle Valley and how you think those natural areas could be improved.

For more information, please visit www.london.groundwork.org.uk.
The River Wandle rises in the Surrey Hills and meanders through southwest London to the Thames at Wandsworth.

As well as being a haven for wildlife it has played a vital role in communications, trade and human settlement for many years.  When William Morris - Founder of the Arts and Craft movement - established his workshops at Abbey Mills in 1881 it was "... because the water is abundant and good". The river provided clean water and power in a tranquil environment.

The area has seen much growth since then and sadly water quality and the natural life in the valley has declined.

Over the past decade local councils and organisations have worked on many individual regeneration projects trying to reverse some of the results of years of neglect. They have now come together with the joint vision of creating:

"An innovative, sustainable and high quality Regional Park in the Wandle Valley that is easily accessible, with a rich and thriving biodiversity, offering recreational, landscape, heritage, cultural and resource management benefits in which local people and businesses can take pride and ownership."

The Wandle Valley Regional Park is currently in its transitional phase. If you would like to learn more and find out how you can support the development of the park read our "vision".

The valley is already a fabulous place to enjoy the outdoors, shops, soak in the rich history, exercise and relax. Visit our leisure page to find out what is going on in the area. 


 
 
 
  Where is the Wandle Valley Regional Park?