Dame Judi Dench has called for greater protections for London’s parks and green spaces, as research finds more than 50 of the city’s parks are at risk from development. The Oscar-winning actor, who has a long-standing love for trees, said it is “more important than ever” to safeguard these areas.
New research by CPRE London has identified at least nine parks, eight playing fields and eight nature reserves under threat, including Whitewebbs Park in Enfield, Wimbledon Park, and Green Dale Fields in Southwark. After campaigning, six green spaces were saved last year, but seven were lost, including Crossness nature reserve in Bexley.
Dench highlighted the case of Whitewebbs Park, where a 450-year-old oak tree was felled and Tottenham Hotspur football club plans to cut down 207 trees for a training facility. She supports a judicial review against Enfield council’s decision to lease the land.
Alice Roberts, head of campaigns at CPRE London, warned that councils have “unfettered powers to sell parks” and that the government’s new “grey belt” policy enables development on protected land, despite ample brownfield sites. The All England Lawn Tennis Club’s plans for Wimbledon Park also remain disputed.
