London's Arcadia Projects

London's Arcadia aims to implement 122 enhancement projects along the River Thames between Richmond Lock and Radnor Gardens. The work is being implemented in three phases. Phase 1 which runs from April 2005 to October 2006 focusses on initial design and consultation, fundraising and tendering. Projects completed to date include improvements to Isleworth Promenade, St Margarets Waterfront, Bridge House Gardens and Richmond Hill Terrace. Details on all projects across the 3 phases of London's Arcadia can be found in the links below.

The total cost of London's Arcadia is £3.3 million pounds. Of this £2million has been raised through a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Of the remaining £1.3 million, £500,000 still needs to be raised through sponsorship, donations, volunteer work and events. There are many opportunities to help us reach this target, for example through sponsoring elements of individual projects such as trees, memorial benches, bird boxes or even metre lengths of towpath or native hedgerow.

For details about sponsoring a part of a project please contact Tasha Hunter on 020 8891 7399 or t.hunter@richmond.gov.uk

A bustling Richmond Riverfront looking up towards Richmond Bridge May 2002. Photograph: Jason Debney

The Range of Projects

All London's Arcadia projects are subject to extensive design review and public consultation. The projects range from regenerating public spaces such as Twickenham and Richmond riversides, to the creation and landscaping of a number of distinct small riverside gardens and pocket parks.The plans include major townscape improvements such as the creation of sitting walls, access improvements where possible to DDA standards, clearing away and consolidation of clutter, and strategic placement of street furniture to compliment an imaginative use of plants and trees to enhance the ecology.

The careful replacement of lighting will enhance and define the character of the area and encourage more people to promenade during the evening whilst reducing light pollution. Access improvements are proposed with steps, stairs and pontoons to connect people with their river and the foreshore.

Historic avenues are to be restored for the benefit of aesthetic and wildlife benefits as well as the reopening and framing of the many vistas. Facilities for users of the Thames long-distance footpath will be enhanced with innovative interpretation and education pieces, which tell the story of the London’s Arcadia.

Early Hit project for the Thames Landscape Strategy 'Arcadia in the City'. The Ham and Petersham Association obtained a grant from the Bridge House Estates Trust fund to plant a thorn and holly hedge along the Great South Avenue in Ham. Photograph: David Yates.