Church Street and Paddington Green

Church Street and Paddington Green is a name given to an area of London where the local authority (the City of Westminster) has promoted a major urban enhancement initiative.

We were the ecological designers of this important urban green infrastructure retrofit and regeneration project.

We assisted the eco-masterplanning process for the area, strengthening the project team's capability as regards urban biodiversity, urban ecosystem services and biophilic design for human wellbeing, and also technical knowledge of the biotic elements of sustainable drainage systems. The work entailed carefully walking and mapping the site and engaging in both formal and informal public consultation; and then characterising the area through an ecological SWOT analysis.

The proposals included turning whole streets into productive food parks, instigating a site-wide living roof strategy and the creation of biodiverse and multi-functional gardens along previously traffic-dominated streets. The scheme should not only better link other local areas together for people, but also increase connectivity for biodiversity. The proposals were widely welcomed by local residents and stakeholders and are now being implemented progressively by the City of Westminster. The completed scheme should help to enhance the best features of the area, to the benefit of the local economy and add value to both residential and commercial properties.