Planning our future London

• Green spaces are particularly important for those with children. It needs to be away from traffic firstly because of pollution, and secondly to ensure that the children don't run out into vehicles.
• For adults green space provides an opportunity for calm and for strolling in a place which soothes and revives. Again, that means protection from traffic, both for the pollution and for the noise it causes. 
• Given the ever more extreme weather, green space and free draining surfaces are ever more vital. That means there need to be planning requirements to prevent and reverse paving over of parking spaces and gardens (a condition of any planning application must be the removal of asphalt/paving, and for that work to be done before any other work is carried out. All too often promises made in order to obtain planning permission remain unfulfilled).  
• There must also be a similar prior requirement for all flat roofs to be converted to green or brown roofs. These offer insulation and do not require particular care but mitigate storm run off and support not just plant life but also insects and therefore birds.
• Additionally there must be more street trees. All too often unthinking insurance companies require the removal of street trees on a 'just in case' basis if a Victorian property is showing cracks. Frequently the tree is not the problem and the removal of a mature tree can create more problems than it solves, but that means that replacements need to be placed at a distance from buildings. On Georgian and Victorian/Edwardian streets that means on pavement build-outs. These should be to the depth of parked cars so as not to impact on vehicle traffic, but a tree on this makes the road appear narrower and so slows traffic.

There is a tendency for use of concrete and young trees to replace established green spaces in London adding to the poor air quality. Where residents seek green space for relaxing and socialising. There has been a rush to replace grass with environmentally damaging artificial grass which has a proven ecologically dangerous rubber/old tyre crumb that pollutes the land and rivers where dumped and the grass gives off micro particles. It may just be in parts of Barnet but free to access Metropolitan Open Land is to be fenced off and charged for, some with the aforementioned artificial turf replacing established grass. In Cricklewood particularly there has been removal of what the council reported as around 34 acres of green and open land for the developments. With some of the parks not included in the reduction becoming dominated by concrete and tarmac with little natural shade, and focused on children and young people with little to no space for adults/older people. This simply results in people getting in their cars to go find green space. It is not the only Borough by all accounts where this is happening 'Parks' being dominated by concrete and hard standing and msturentrees destroyed. It makes London increasingly unliveable and hostile. 

Whenever a new set of tower blocks are being built, please insist on creating more wildlife spaces like the Ecology Park on the Greenwich Peninsula, or even the small Discovery Centre in Deptford Creek. Scattering London with island wildernesses such as these will help preserve some of the natural environment and strengthen our connection with it. 

I'd love to see more sustainable drainage, rain gardens, planters that are carefully maintained, community gardens e.g. alongside railways, more wild meadows for pollinators. We have to remember that while we use parks for leisure, other species are using those spaces as their homes, their food supplies: a big lawn is great for football, but not for pollinators or birds and bats. Creative solutions and bold designs will be needed to ensure our cities are habitats which we can all enjoy, human and non-human. Additionally, I see more plastic lawns being installed (and promoted by installers) in my area. These are a disaster, ecologically. Could they be taxed, if not banned, or sustainable alternatives promoted?

It’s awful to be stuck in the heat reflected by the glass skyscrapers with no shade and freshness that comes from a well maintained mature tree. That is for walkers and for drivers. 

I think all local streets in Southwark could be made greener. For the most part they are wide, there is space for planting. 
 

Greener streets would have a huge number of positive impacts, better tree cover would provide shade in the increasingly hot summers. Even in the 8 minute walk back from the park with my dog I find that we are trying to jump between patches of shade usually provided by walls, the pavement is so hot and there's no protection from the sun. Also, the streets would feel nicer, pollution from cars would be better absorbed and the air would be cleaner. The view from everyone's window should include some greenery, rather than concrete and buildings.

If I had to give up something to make space for more local planting, trees and seating areas I would give up on street parking, particularly where I live there is an over reliance on personal cars which is unlike most of central London. 
 

I would also like to see more new large parks, there is an idea that London is a very green city and while this may be true I worry that looking forward city planning will not include any ambitious new park designs. Take for example the old Kent road area of opportunity, this has parks within the design but they are being delivered in the last phase, potentially 20 years after a huge expansion in housing provision. Are we to assume that those people will not need access to green space. It's unfortunate to know that by that point in the plan the majority of the money will have been spent, why aren't the green parks a priority? Surely if you build them first you are creating a welcoming space for all of the incoming residents. 

I read the actions taken by Heathrow Airport to reduce noise, I got information through this page: https://www.heathrow.com/company/local-community/noise/making-heathrow-quieter/noise-action-plan

Could you please inform me if the aircraft have catalytic converters to reduce polluting gas emissions?

And is this a requirement for all aircraft?

I would like to know if you have also thought about changing the route of planes, avoiding air traffic in the central areas of London, or even avoiding air traffic in residential areas, places that the mayor of London Sadiq Khan has already worked to reduce the emission of polluting gases by land traffic, created the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

By changing the planes' routes and decentralizing them, noise could be avoided in residential areas of the city.

Could you please let me know if you have any plans regarding this?

I use the parks for exercising and socialising

Green spaces are very important for protection from heat and flooding

More natural and re-wilding, vegetation to cut noise from the overground, adult skate park

More plants on streets w cafes using a few parking spaces for seating

I feel blessed to live next to the Lea Valley. I am walking or cycling on the Tottenham, Walthamstow, & Hackney marches most days. The open skies, wildlife, and water are a tonic and essential to thousands of people's well-being. People on the marches are in general approachable and friendly reflecting the effect of the beautiful environment.

My concern for there areas are the encroaching high-rise low quality, expensive residential developments popping up around the perimeter of our valley. Developers market these places to wealthy investors using the beautiful views to sell. Meanwhile thousands of residents find green tree lined horizons, taken over by balconies for the privleged few. Keep perimeter developments low rise.

We should retain and increase our use of street trees. Make streets one way for cars/vans etc so we can widen planting and have more areas with grasses and shrubs where water can drain more easily.

Large street intersections should all have trees.

Maybe it's time to rethink it weather disposal too? She's every house need the bins? Maybe mini recycling/refuse zone did each street?

I walk almost everywhere, including for exercise twice a day. Green spaces are repeatedly under threat from development and poor management. And, more importantly, it is becoming more dangerous as cyclists continue to disregard restrictions on foothpaths, pavements, pedestrian crossings etc. Also, I will be forced to take to my car if the vastly increased pollution that would result from a 20 mph limit comes about.

I would like to see the 20mph, LTN and Traffic light control that all cause more traffic problems that is rising the cost of living on us all taken away.The cost of a Tradesman to Food to the local store now has extra costs put on them as the Mayor of London and TFL makes things worse with the re-design of our roads. I don't even bother to shop or go into a town center or London any more.

I would rather have my Local Council pull themselves out of Greater London and away from London. I see no future in the route that we going for job security Businesses or a better way of life for familys

We need more trees and plants planted along our streets. And less buildings being built.. There are too many 1 house being knocked down and three put in its place in my area, and the area can't cope. Its not helping with the flooding.

Rewilding is really important.  There should be much less mowing of lawns and much less tree cutting.  Our biodiversity, both nationally and internationally, is probably our greatest resource.

I would like to see green spaces more connected. The Parkland Walk is amazing and very popular. It’s a pity that Muswell Hill and Crouch End never got their tube line, but what they have instead is superb. Other connecting pathways need to be upgraded to the same standard by tackling dumped refuse and making them safer and more welcoming. Also, The unnecessary felling of trees due to unsubstantiated insurance threats in my view is a racket that needs to be curbed.

It would be good to have more seating so I can relax and enjoy the green space 

I use Redcross Gardens (not Crossbones Graveyard) to sit and read.  Lovely, much appreciated.

There are no green spaces in my immdiate area.  But that's ok as I have a Freedom Pass so it's not long until I'm where I'd like to be.

Something that would improve the neighbourhoods as well as adding greenary and nature to the city, is to tackle big roads arteries, unfriendly to pedestrian and neighbourly life such as A1/archway road/holloway road, but creating more green/bush/tree/shrubbery barrieres between the shops/foot path and the busy roads full of cars. 

We are lucky to have many wonderful green spaces where I live, but unfortunately, they are full of rubbish. Empty plastic bottles, tin cans, and wrappers and they are rarely cleaned. There are hardly any bins around and a lack of seating. I love to go walking but find it hard when there is nowhere to take a rest. Also, people feed pigeons with stacks of bread, which means there are an awful lot of rats around. I would also love to see more wild flowers for the bees and butterflies.

It is because of the London Corporation we have a green belt and open spaces within the Central London area. However Local Councils and the mayor's office are fast allowing these spaces to be devoured in the name of "regeneration" or "progress" or sports and recreation facilities. Areas once open land have now become housing estates of varying poor quality. Anyone who have done the London Loop, Capital Ring or Green Chain walks will know exactly where I mean.

It is true there is a housing crisis, but that is caused by scarce resources being over burdened by increased pressure of immigration, rightly or wrongly without those resources being upgraded.

It disgusts me to the core that vacant offices and industrial sites are not rendered for residential use and accommodation that is in existence not being made available at affordable cost.