The Corporation has revealed new images showing how Finsbury Circus Gardens will look in the future.
It comes as a project to transform the Grade II listed site, which is London’s oldest public park, gets underway.
The finished scheme at Finsbury Circus Gardens, which is due to complete later this year, will see improved seating, pathways, and new areas of planting around the central lawn, introducing a wide range of species and habitats for birds, bees, and bats.
Finsbury Circus Gardens is the largest green space within the City and just one of over 180 individual Square Mile sites, owned and managed by the City Corporation. They attract over 21 million visitors every year – which is over 230 times the capacity of London’s Wembley Stadium.
Among them are 10 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation in the City, designated for their importance for wildlife and for people to experience nature, and three sites featuring on the Historic England Register of Parks and Gardens of Specific Historic Interest in England, which identifies sites of historic significance.
Chair of the Corporation’s Natural Environment Board, Caroline Haines, said:
“Finsbury Circus Gardens will be transformed into a tranquil haven for people to relax and spend time outside.
“Not only are City open spaces hugely important for people’s health and wellbeing, they also play a vital role by increasing the Square Mile’s resilience against climate change and enhancing biodiversity by creating habitats for a number of birds, butterflies, and insects.
“Investing in our public spaces is worth every penny and supports our vision for Destination City; making the Square Mile the ‘go-to’ place for visitors and workers from all over the world.”
Chair of the Corporation’s Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee, Graham Packham, added:
“With much of Finsbury Circus Gardens being out of action over the past decade for the construction of Crossrail, there is a real opportunity to improve and revitalise this space for future generations to enjoy.
“Projects like these show how the City Corporation is leading the way when it comes to creating a sustainable environment, encouraging economic growth, and making the Square Mile a vibrant and thriving place in which to work, live and explore.”
The Corporation manages a network of 11,000 acres of internationally important open spaces across London and southeast England – including Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath, and West Ham Park – investing over £38m a year.
They remove around 16,000 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere every year, equivalent to 70% of the organisation’s annual carbon footprint.
A recent report into the value of the City Corporation’s green spaces within the Square Mile revealed their worth at £126.8 million every year in benefits to society, with a present value of £3.6 billion over 50 years.
As a collective, these smaller parks, churchyards, and plazas deliver the highest recreational and health benefits out of all the organisation’s open spaces and have a benefit to cost ratio of 87.7 – meaning that every £1 spent on maintenance gives a return of £87.70 in public benefits.
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Notes to editors
The Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK – .
A copy of the Baseline Natural Capital Assessment can be found on our website at: /things-to-do/green-spaces/natural-environment.
Finsbury Circus Gardens will remain closed to the public until late 2024. For more information about the scheme, please visit /things-to-do/city-gardens/finsbury-circus-gardens-project and www.finsburycircusgardens.co.uk.
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