A former industrial site and one of the latest additions to the area’s parks has been branded the country’s top brownfield site.
The Beam Parklands, in both Havering and Dagenham - London’s newest park - won the prestigious award for the Best Use of Landfill Brownfield Land in publication Brownfield Briefing.
The 53-hectare wetland off Oval Road North, opened in June.
Its main function is as a flood defence protecting 570 residential properties, Beam Primary School, in Dagenham, Newtons Primary School, in Lowen Road, Rainham, three social clubs and 63 industrial and commercial properties nearby and downstream.
However, for most of the year it is not flooded and is used as an open space for the community where nature can thrive.
Euan Hall, chief executive of the Land Trust, which owns the park, said: “The work done by the partners in this project shows that when utilised as open spaces, brownfield land can deliver an incredible amount of community benefit such improved health, bio-diversity and education.”
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