Watling Park wins award after flood works and new playgrounds

The Burnt Oak park has been awarded the benchmark for the UK’s best green spaces reports Leïla Davaud

An aerial view of Watling Park in Burnt Oak — (Credit – Barnet Council)

A park in Burnt Oak, has been awarded the international benchmark for the UK’s best green spaces, following a £1.5million overhaul that included new playgrounds, work-out equipment and flood defences.

Watling Park is the third in the borough to be recognised with Green Flag status this year, alongside renewed awards for Mill Hill Park/Mill Hill Cemetery and Cherry Tree Wood in East Finchley.

At the centre of the project was a rerouting of the Burnt Oak Brook. Previously channelled through concrete close to houses on the park’s edge, the brook now runs along a zigzag, soil-sided path.

Barnet Council says the change means that during heavy rainfall, floodwater will now spread into a newly-created wetland rather than threatening nearby roads, gardens and homes.

The flood work was paid for by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as part of the six-year, £6million Action for Silk Stream project, a joint scheme between Barnet Council and Harrow Council working with environmental charity Thames21.

New CCTV and lighting have also been installed in the park to tackle anti-social behaviour, building on the arrival of a friends group three years ago.

Gabrielle Bailey, founder of the Friends of Watling Park, said the award reflected years of work by volunteers: “It’s fantastic to achieve Green Flag status. The park is such an integral part of the Burnt Oak community and it’s been great to see these improvements as part of achieving this award.

“The park has great value for people’s health and wellbeing, for climate mitigation and adaptation, and as a space for the community to come together. I’d encourage anybody who loves our park to join our volunteer group and help to keep it clean, tidy and welcoming.”

Alan Schneiderman, Barnet Council’s cabinet member for environment and climate change, said the award reflected the borough’s wider approach to green space: “With almost a third of our borough made up of more than 200 parks and open spaces, we’re proud to be one of London’s greenest, cleanest and most scenic boroughs. Our parks and green spaces will continue to be a priority for us.”

Residents interested in volunteering with a friends group at their local park can email [email protected] or call 0300 3659960.

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