2014 European Prize for Urban Public Space

CLIENT
Greater London Authority,
London Borough of Havering, RSPB

DESIGN TEAM
design lead: Peter Beard_LANDROOM | Peter Beard, Alexander Gore, Sabba Khan, Dingle Price, Gregory Ross, Mark Smith, Keita Tajima
preliminary masterplan: AEA Consulting, Latz and Partner, Ecology Consultancy, Hyder,
Sinclair Knight Mertz.
structural engineering: Jane Wernick Associates
civil engineering, ecology, hydrology (western marshes and paths): Bureau Veritas
civil engineering, ecology, hydrology (eastern marshes): Betteridge Turner and Partners
quantity surveying (eastern marshes): Appleyard and Trew
graphic design (main signage): Studio Frith

PRINCIPLE CONTRACTORS
Volker Fitzpatrick: paths, western marshes including boardwalks and trackway
Hugh Pearl Land Drainage: groundworks on eastern marshes
Kind and Company: RSPB classroom complex
Haymills: Boardwalk elements on eastern marshes

CONTEXT
Rainham Marshes lies on London’s eastern boundary forming part of the Thames’ natural floodplain. The marshes have a history of agricultural use dating back at least to medieval times. The land was originally salt marsh and was used for the grazing of cattle and sheep. More recently the site was owned and used as a training ground and rifle range by the Ministry of Defence. Neighbouring sites, particularly along the Thames, have been developed by industry. The site has long been recognised for it’s value to wildlife, especially migrating bird species, but the landscape also supports rare plants, mammals and insects; the site is designated a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’ the highest level of habitat designation
in the UK. From the 1980’s the army no longer had a use for the marshes and the land was sold-off. Part of the site was bought by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and part by the local authority, the London Borough of Havering. Throughout its period of military use the site continued to be grazed and the traditional marsh landscape flourished. From the mid-1990’s grazing ceased and the site’s grassland habitats rapidly fell into decline. As of 2003 there was effectively no public access to the site, apart from a limited section of the Thames foreshore.

PROJECT AIMS
Rainham Marshes offers an experience of wild nature accessible to the whole of London’s urban population. The project aims to make the site attractive and accessible to a wide range of visitors while protecting and enhancing its rich wildife. Work began with a masterplan study set up by the London Development Agency in 2003. Following the masterplan, a package of detailed design work was carried out for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on their reserve on the eastern marshes. Later design phases were commissioned by the London Development Agency and the London Borough of Havering. All design work has been carried out in close consultation with public bodies responsible for wildlife protection,
including the Environment Agency and Natural England. Local consultation on design proposals was carried out by the local authority. Public funding for the project was provided through local development agencies, with further contributions from the European Regional Development Fund, the London Borough of Havering, the Greater London Authority, Natural England, and the Veolia Havering Riverside Trust.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
New public paths have opened up the marshes to a wide range of users, including cyclists, walkers and those with limited mobility. Some of the new paths have a tough asphalt finish while other less formal paths are paved with crushed stone which has been allowed to grow over with vegetation. New signage aids with orientation. Some of the new interventions echo historical patterns and forms within the landscape; in places the alignments of former military tracks have been re-used. Elsewhere new alignments and figures have been imposed on the existing landscape. These new elements include earthbanks, reedbeds, bridges and boardwalks. The new Trackway bridge re-establises the historic link between the marshes and Rainham village. Better strategic water management has been made possible through the creation of new watercourses and wetland areas. The conservation status of the site disallows the use of any imported plant material; new habitat areas are created by a combination of ground re-profiling and control of water levels. Local vegetation is then allowed to re-colonise these areas naturally. New farm management infrastructure has been created to support the return of grazing cattle to the site. Reclaimed concrete and locally sourced timber have been used extensively in the construction of new infrastructural elements.

A NEW PUBLIC SPACE FOR LONDON
As the project has developed Rainham Marshes has found a new place in the public imagination, becoming a destination for Londoners seeking an experience of wild nature within reach of the city. Public use of the site has risen dramatically. The marshes have featured in local and national press and television. This new popularity has developed alongside the re-vitalisation of the site’s natural habitats. The balance between high levels of public access and impacts on the site’s wildlife is one which will require careful and ongoing monitoring. Another potential concern is that the sense of a wild, open landscape could be eroded by the imposition of new design elements. The design approach taken, the use of materials and scale of the new interventions has allowed the site to achieve a new public status whilst retaining and enhancing its essential qualities.