Wildspace Conservation Park

Infobox park
park=Wildspace


image size=
caption=
type=Conservation park
location=Rainham, London
coordinates=coord|51.5029|N|0.195|E|type:landmark_region:GB
size=6.4 km²
opened=2006 (first phase)
operator=Greater London Authority
annual visitors=
status=In developmentThe Wildspace Conservation Park, also known as London Riverside Conservation Park or Wildspace, is a major new conservation park currently under development. The conservation park is predominantly in London, within the London Borough of Havering, but also extends across the capital's administrative boundary and into Thurrock in Essex. It covers much of the Rainham Marshes near to Rainham and Wennington.

The conservation park is being developed by the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation along with The London Borough of Havering, the RSPB, the Mayor of London, the LDA, Thurrock Council and the Thurruck Thames Gateway Development Corporation on land that is currently owned by the LTGDC, the London Borough of Havering, the RSPB, the Port of London Authority, Oldrealm Ltd and Cleanaway Ltd.

It was opened to the public in 2006 [ [http://www.ltgdc.org.uk/news/pressreleases/detail.asp?newsID=81 LTGDC opens London’s biggest new park in more than a century] ] and plans for its future development were set out within a new joint publication [ [http://www.ltgdc.org.uk/uploaded/documents/ltgdcwildspacebrochure.pdf Wildspace: for a world city courtesy of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporaiton] ] , endorsed by Bill Oddie, which illustrates that the first phase of development is expected to be completed in 2008, following which subsequent phases are planned in order to develop the conservation park into a visitor attraction capable of attracting 1,000,000 visitors per annum when completed in 2023.

The conservation park is seen as a flagship new green space within the London Riverside section of the London Thames Gateway regeneration area. When complete, it will form a 6.4 km² (640 hectares / 1580 acres) conservation, recreation and amenity zone twice the size of Hampstead Heath [ [http://www.24dash.com/content/news/viewNews.php?navID=2&newsID=11475 24dash.com 'World-class' riverside conservation park for Thames Gateway] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.ltgdc.org.uk/ The London Thames Gateway Development Corporation]
* Havering Council - [http://www.havering.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=8523 Ruth Kelly opens first phase of Rainham to Purfleet Path]