As a member of the City of London Corporation’s Natural Environment Board, I have been delighted to see the approval of a £680,000 project to improve Jubilee Gardens on Houndsditch (next to Devonshire Square).
The gardens, one of 180 sites within the Square Mile owned and managed by the City of London Corporation, will be transformed to create a greener, more inviting open space with improved seating and access.
15 new trees will be planted as well as shrubs and perennials to provide food and habitats for pollinators and wildlife. Log and stone piles will also be created, giving new homes to invertebrates.
These improvements will help boost the City’s biodiversity and its resilience to the impacts of climate change, along with the installation of new, sustainable drainage to reduce the risk of flooding.
Paving materials from the existing site will be re-used to help further reduce the project’s carbon footprint.
The work is likely to take around 10 months to complete and will therefore be closed until around the end of November 2024.
The plans are part of the City Corporation’s ambitious Climate Action Strategy which supports the achievement of net zero carbon emissions for the whole Square Mile by 2040.
It also supports Destination City, the City Corporation’s flagship policy which sets out a vision for the Square Mile to become a world-leading leisure destination for UK and international visitors, workers, and residents to enjoy.
Creating more accessible green spaces or “pocket parks” around Bishopsgate is something which people often raise with me as their local Councillor. It is also something which has been raised as part of the City Corporation’s recent Corporate Plan for 2024-2029. I will keep you updated with developments.
