Lewisham is a proudly urban borough, but it is also home to remarkable green spaces that support wildlife, improve public health and help tackle the climate emergency.
In recent years Lewisham has become one of the London boroughs leading the way in protecting urban green spaces while supporting sustainable growth.
Protecting these spaces requires more than warm words. It requires clear planning policies, investment in parks and long term environmental stewardship.
That is the approach the Labour led Lewisham Council is delivering.
Many residents rightly feel strongly about protecting nature and tackling the climate emergency. That concern reflects a shared understanding that the health of our environment is inseparable from the wellbeing of our communities.
In Lewisham we believe the most important test of environmental leadership is not simply who speaks most passionately about these issues, but who is taking practical action to protect and improve the places people value.
Across the borough we are protecting nature, strengthening biodiversity and ensuring residents continue to have access to high quality green spaces close to where they live.
Delivering and Protecting Green Spaces
Under the Labour led Lewisham Council, the borough has built and protected one of the strongest networks of parks and natural spaces in inner London.
Lewisham now has 24 Green Flag Award winning parks and green spaces, a national mark of excellence recognising the best managed parks in the country. These awards reflect the high standards maintained across Lewisham’s parks and the dedication of council teams, community groups and volunteers who care for them.
From large landscapes to neighbourhood parks, these spaces provide places for exercise, relaxation and connection with nature. They also support wildlife habitats and contribute to the environmental resilience of our borough.
Green spaces are not simply amenities. They are essential infrastructure for a healthy city.
Protecting Nature Through the Local Plan
As Lewisham grows and evolves, safeguarding green spaces becomes even more important.
The Labour led Lewisham Council’s new Local Plan provides strong planning protections for parks, nature reserves and other important environmental areas. It safeguards Metropolitan Open Land, Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation and other protected green spaces, ensuring that development cannot take place where it would harm valuable habitats or biodiversity.
These protections ensure that developers cannot build on protected green spaces or designated nature reserves.
This planning framework allows Lewisham to support regeneration and new homes while ensuring that nature and biodiversity remain protected.
Protecting Irreplaceable Natural Sites
These protections apply to important local sites such as Gorne Wood, an area of ancient woodland that provides irreplaceable habitat for wildlife.
Ancient woodland is among the most valuable natural habitats in the country. Once lost, it cannot simply be recreated. Protecting places like Gorne Wood is therefore a responsibility we take extremely seriously.
The Local Plan also protects wider landscapes such as Beckenham Place Park, one of the largest green spaces in south east London, and Chinbrook Meadows, an important open landscape that supports wildlife and natural flood management along the River Quaggy.
Together these spaces form a vital network of habitats and green corridors across the borough.
Nature and the Climate Emergency
Protecting green spaces is also an essential part of tackling the climate emergency.
Trees absorb carbon, improve air quality and help reduce urban heat. Parks and wetlands help manage rainfall and reduce flood risk. Green corridors support wildlife movement and strengthen biodiversity across the borough.
Access to nature also improves physical and mental wellbeing. In a busy urban borough, these spaces provide residents with opportunities to relax, exercise and reconnect with the natural world.
Protecting nature therefore supports both environmental sustainability and public health.
Green spaces also play an important role in climate resilience and community wellbeing. Trees help cool streets during heatwaves, parks absorb rainwater during periods of heavy rainfall and natural habitats support biodiversity across the borough. Access to nearby green space also improves mental wellbeing, encourages outdoor activity and strengthens community life.
Working with Communities
Lewisham’s green spaces are strengthened by the dedication of local communities.
Friends groups, volunteers and community organisations play a vital role in caring for parks, planting trees and supporting biodiversity projects across the borough.
The Labour led Lewisham Council works closely with these groups, recognising that protecting nature is most successful when councils and communities work together.
This partnership approach ensures that Lewisham’s green spaces are protected not only through policy but through shared stewardship.
Looking Ahead
The climate emergency and the nature crisis are among the defining challenges of our time.
Protecting Lewisham’s green spaces is an essential part of responding to both. From ancient woodland like Gorne Wood to award winning parks across the borough, these places support wildlife, improve health and strengthen our communities.
In Lewisham we are protecting ancient woodland, safeguarding our parks through planning policy and investing in greener neighbourhoods across the borough.
The Labour led Lewisham Council will continue to protect and enhance these spaces through strong planning policies, investment in parks and support for biodiversity.
Because protecting nature requires more than promises. It requires leadership, long term stewardship and a clear commitment to future generations.
That is the responsibility we take seriously in Lewisham.