Lee Valley Regional Park Authority example essay topic

The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority was set up in 1967 by an act of parliament to develop the areas along the Lee, many of them by then dis-used and derelict, for recreation and nature conservation. Although the idea had first been suggested twenty years earlier, the Civic Trust report published in 1964 was the catalyst for co-operation between the various authorities, and the Lee Valley Regional Park Bill received Royal Assent in December 1966. Abercrombie's 1944 Greater London Plan proposed a regional park in the Lee Valley and in 1968 an Authority was formed to make a 37 km long park. It reaches from hackney in the East End of London to Ware in Hertfordshire.

Abercrombie wrote that 'here is a magnificent opportunity for landscape treatment and tree planting' but few landscape architects have worked on the Park. So, after this the derelict land changed to a Regional Park with a leisure centre and other facilities for the community. The previous land was derelict because of all the sewage works and other types of industry around the area, because of this they could not build houses because in the area because it would of been a very un-attractive place to live in. So they had to build some sort of amusement facilities for the community because the government demanded it. And the result of that is that there is now a cinema which has 12 screens and is a focal point for teenage gatherings, a leisure centre for all ages, an ice rink, a golf course and eating facilities.

Ramsey Marsh is currently changing from the old sewage works and mostly derelict and unused land to a place which will be decommissioned and decontaminated, the area would have 13 hectares of developed land providing accommodation fo a networked research and technology development nucleus which would contain such things as the Lee Valley Business and Innovation Centre with 60 associated incubator units for innovative start-up companies and projects, a Silicon Microchip Foundry which provides a flexible manufacturing process for micro-sensors, a Technology Transfer Centre, providing a direct interface between Middlesex University and business, channelling new ideas into local companies and the marketplace, opportunities for up to 38,167 metres squared of accommodation for inward investment occupiers with a research and development requirement and the creation of improved access vital to the development of the site and the success of business in the Lee Valley. The land was previously used as Sewage Works this was the collection, treatment, and sanitary disposal of liquid and water carried wastes from households and industrial plants around the area of Lee Valley. Alma Road has changed from old Victorian housing which probably house people who commuted in to London to work to 2 blocks of flats. Most of the old Victorian housing has been knocked down but three houses were left untouched opposite the two flats. The flats are about 22 storeys high and probably house at least two hundred people. Enfield Island has changed from a Royal Small Arms Factory to an Island of housing.

The old Royal Arms Factory was the major supplier of arms for the British army for over a century, but now there are houses, flats and apartments there. Mansfield road was a place that was used for farming and gravel extraction, the farming was for dairy and market gardening and was very successful because it was near a major city and near a port. But now there are Rugby field, water storage and houses.