Albany Park has received a grant of nearly £350,000 to help restore a section of Turkey Brook and reduce the flood risk to more than 200 properties.
Enfield is one of six winners of more than £2 million of grant funding from the Mayor of London for green space improvements across the capital.
The project will restore a section of the Turkey Brook on the northern edge of Albany Park by excavating a new naturalised channel that brings the river into the park. As well as creating a new habitat for wildlife and a diverse landscape for park users to enjoy, this will create a flood storage area that will reduce the flood risk and create more than 300 metres of improved footpaths and cycleways.
There are also plans for a community hub, seating, enhancements to the existing woodland area and new entry points to help connect surrounding neighbourhoods to Albany Park.
Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Guney Dogan, said: “I would like to firstly congratulate Enfield Council’s team for successfully securing this generous grant from the Mayor and garnering support for this project. We can now push ahead with help from the community so this spectacular space can be enjoyed for generations to come.
“While protecting hundreds of homes from flood risks and improving the brook itself, we also hope to unite people with nature and bring the community together to learn about sustainability in urban parks. I thoroughly look forward to seeing this project come to life.”
Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, said: “The Mayor is proud to support this outstanding project, which will help make our city the greenest in the world by creating new habitats, reducing flood risk, and opening up the park to more Londoners. This is just one part of Sadiq’s vision for more than half of London to be green, making it the UK’s first National Park City.”
Enfield Council has had tremendous success with previous sustainable urban drainage schemes in its parks and open spaces. The Council’s most recent project, the Prince of Wales Open Space and Wetlands is nearing completion and will officially open later this summer.
Many of these projects would not be possible without the help and dedication of community groups, volunteers and local school children. If you would like to get involved or for information on future projects, follow the watercourses team on Twitter @EnfieldSuds. In addition, to be kept up-to-date on Enfield Council news, including urban regeneration, parks and volunteering projects, sign up to our newsletters.