In London, the amount of green space per person is shrinking – Londoners are 2.5x more likely than the UK average to have no access to private green space. Meanwhile, much of London’s protected green spaces have been bought by speculators to seek planning permission to build on them. These new owners deliberately leave it to become derelict, don’t allow it to be used and sometimes exclude the community with fencing, entering a cycle of decline and ending in their loss to development.

The project supports local campaigning groups to bring a number of these sites back into use for public amenity, helping them advocate for new parks and nature reserves. We help with advice on planning, politics, fundraising, campaigning, communications, media and legal issues. We help generate campaign ideas and act as a critical friend, give the benefit of our experience of working with many local groups over many years, and help build the confidence they need to take action.