Description
The Masterplan for Thamesmead dates from 1967, the only New Town development in Greater London, but was much altered in execution. There are lakes in Southmere, Crossway and Birchmere Parks, the latter in LB Greenwich. All three are connected and part of the original drainage scheme and fed by the River Plum, which enters Southmere Lake. Southmere Park is dominated by large-scale moulding, with dense tree-planting along paths and in groups on slopes of mounds, although tops are often left bare. There is some shrub and perennial planting. A link to Lesnes Abbey runs on the raised bank through the residential development.
Practical Information
| Site location | Hartslock Drive, Thamesmead |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SE2 9XA |
| What3Words | ///shops.marble.above |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Bexley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk |
| Public Transport | Rail: Abbey Wood then bus. Bus: 177, 229, 401, 244, B11. |
| Research Updated | 1 February 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Southmere Lake is part of the network of water bodies and canals formed as part of the massive programme of drainage to prepare Erith marshes for the building of Thamesmead over some 1,300 acres of land. It was planned as a 'new town' by the GLC in 1965/6 to accommodate 60,000 people with public and private housing and its own amenities, industry and centre. The first phase was built in 1967-72 at the south end with housing around a large lake, described by Pevsner as bearing 'little resemblance to the ideal community visualised by its begetters'. The master plan had substantial areas of parkland including 5 lakes, the largest of which is within Southmere Park, and canals to provide a varied landscape. Traffic-free zones and a network of pedestrian footpaths and cycleways were planned, with green corridors around the waterways. The estate has not been completed as originally planned due to financial and other priorities in the 1970s and 1980s, although development continues.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ477802 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 40 |
| Site Ownership | Gallions Housing Association |
| Site Management | Gallions Housing Association's Team Gallions |
| Dates | 1970s |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Bexley |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Borough II Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
This is a late C20th landscape that is an integral part of a comprehensive residential development on the former Erith marshes. One of three major open spaces in Thamesmead, Crossway Park is a large grass area around the Crossway Canal, which was dammed with a weir to form a small lake. Tree planting, mounding and the lake make this an attractive area. The lake is part of an elaborate flood prevention system of lakes and canals that connects Crossway Park with Southmere Park and Birchmere. The site is part of the Green Chain.
The complex of buildings at Crossness Pumping Station form an important industrial landmark and example of public health engineering of the mid-Victorian era. The site, then part of the rural Erith marshes along the River Thames, was chosen for its remoteness where sewage from London could be safely discharged into the river after high tide and carried to the sea. Within the historic site are remnants of a garden terrace and the tree-lined drive over the Southern Outfall sewer to the main buildings of the Pumping Station.
Birchmere Park was created as part of the GLC's 'new town' of Thamesmead built over the former Erith marshes. The Masterplan dates from 1967, the only New Town development in Greater London, but was much altered in execution. Designed to accommodate 60,000 people, Thamesmead was to have its own amenities, industry and centre with substantial areas of parkland, lakes, and canals to provide a varied landscape. The first phase was built in 1967-72 but due to financial and other priorities in the 1970s and 1980s, it has not been completed although development continues. Birchmere Park's lake was part of the network of water bodies and canals formed when the marshes were drained.