New Forms Gardens / recycled show gardens

Team London Bridge aims to lead by example by challenging preconceptions of what a city looks like, as Anna Turns discovers.

Jack Skillen has an unusual job. As placeshaping director for Team London Bridge, the only BID to have such a position, he is responsible for ensuring that this area stands out as a world-class physical environment that’s engaging and distinctive. “Placeshaping ultimately means creating a great place and is a conscious part of our progressive vision,” he explains. “It’s something that has to be visible and felt by people, and it is a privilege and a challenge to do this in such a historic and unique place as London Bridge.”

The green team

Part of this forward-thinking strategy involves integrating sustainability into the very fabric of this city neighbourhood. “In part, it’s about finding the walls, nooks and crannies that can be filled with green plants to help birds, bees and other insects to flourish so London Bridge becomes biodiversity positive,” explains Skillen.

There’s a social element to this greening too. Every Thursday as part of a Putting Down Roots scheme, a team from the homeless charity St. Mungo’s learn a wide range of formal horticultural skills while managing the public gardens, parklets and allotment spaces in London Bridge. “It’s a chance for people who have been quite excluded from public spaces to be welcomed back in and get involved in managing them,” says Henry Johnstone, operations director at Team London Bridge, who makes more eco-conscious choices behind-the-scenes too, opting for peat-free compost, locally-bought plant supplies and wildlife-friendly flowers and perennials to encourage pollinators.

According to Johnstone, cleaner, greener spaces have more of a communal feel and help to reduce that ‘broken window effect’ too because there’s pride amongst these cared for areas. Volunteer gardening sessions with local employees really connect people to these spaces, makes them realise what’s on their doorstep and encourages more respect of that public space.

Johnstone enjoys experimenting with new ways of greening, from living walls and pop-up parks to installing temporary gardens inside the train station: “Recycling gardens from Chelsea Flower Show into the public realm is a refreshing way to incorporate green infrastructure into London Bridge station and Network Rail loved it so much that they’re keen for these gardens to be made permanent,” he says. “With thousands of people pouring out of the station every day, this has been a great way of testing the water - we can take the risk, experiment and prove to others something can be done and then progress, getting bigger and better next time round.”

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Future-proofing

In addition to improving financial benefit to the area, Team London Bridge is investing in a new carbon strategy. The carbon strategy will involve a spectrum of solutions, from retrofitting buildings with solar panels to switching to heating systems that don’t rely on fossil fuels as well as establishing rain gardens that store water and prevent sewers overflowing. That all contributes to the area’s resilience and ability to adapt in light of the climate emergency, now and in years to come.

That futureproofing extends beyond the physical too. Businesses have a responsibility to reduce the carbon footprints of their international supply chains, as Skillen outlines: “Being carbon positive and climate positive involves everything from a company’s operations to how they deal with waste streams. It spreads far beyond this place – that means that businesses here in London Bridge can have a huge potential impact around the globe whilst inspiring other business districts to think creatively about solutions.”

This BID is certainly outward-looking and Team London Bridge hosts regular public Green Network events to give businesses and residents a voice, share ideas and collaborate towards finding best practice. Team London Bridge is supporting a Citizen’s Jury that will recommend how Southwark can become carbon neutral. “Perhaps because of our heritage as a bridge, port and railway station, we are very aware of having an influence beyond our perimeter,” adds Skillen.

A recipe for success

Team London Bridge is taking a multi-pronged approach to creating a more sustainable future, through its dynamic art events, circular approach to waste and crime reduction: “Our interventions need to be beautiful, they must make people feel good about being on contact with nature, and when space is tight, every project has to deliver. My job is to bring together the key ingredients that make a great place. So environmentally-friendly travel and transport, greening of public spaces, and urban planning that helps mitigate the climate crisis all need to become part of our day-to-day business plan because sustainability isn’t just an add on.”

Jack Skillen is speaking at Cities taking Rapid Action Now, during COP26 in Glasgow, 03/11/21. To watch online book and find out more click here.

To get involved with the development of Team London Bridge’s carbon strategy and find out how to join a citizens’ jury, contact jack@teamlondonbridge.co.uk

An Urban Oasis