Lewisham has been named the best London borough for parks, according to the Good Parks for London Report 2024.
To celebrate this achievement, local residents, politicians, students and community leaders gathered at Beckenham Place Park on Friday.
Among them were Lewisham’s Mayor, Brenda Dacres, Deputy Mayor Louise Krupski, local MPs and councillors.
Krupski, who also serves as the Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Climate Action, said: “We love our green spaces in Lewisham and value them very highly. Many of our residents live in flats and need access to decent parks and nature reserves so we work very hard to make our parks the very best they can be.”
The report, created by charity Parks for London, evaluates boroughs based on ten criteria, including public satisfaction, community involvement, and sustainability.
This year, Lewisham not only secured the highest score among London boroughs but also demonstrated improvement since the previous assessment in 2022 when it placed third on the list.
In addition to topping the list, Lewisham’s parks were celebrated at the recent London in Bloom Awards 2024, where the borough won three gold awards.
Home to 47 parks and 15 nature reserves managed by Lewisham Council and Glendale, a green services provider, Lewisham also secured 23 Green Flag Awards, an international recognised mark of quality for parks and green spaces.
Dacres said: “This is a huge achievement for Lewisham (…) We are so proud of our fantastic parks’ team, our excellent partners Glendale and all our amazing volunteers and Friends’ groups across our borough who work so hard to make sure that our parks and nature reserves are so special.
“Their commitment and passion for championing excellence in our green spaces for our residents is truly outstanding and we really appreciate everything they do.”
The Good Parks for London Report highlights the importance of collaboration, featuring nine case studies to show how partnerships can enhance park quality while protecting budgets and resources.
Ed Stannard, Executive Director of Parks for London, said: “Whilst I hope the report inspires and entertains, its value truly lies in how it drives incremental improvement in London’s parks management, supports strategic planning, and helps secure the resources needed to protect and enhance our cherished green spaces for future generations.”
