Coulsdon Common, Kenley Common, Farthing Downs and Riddlesdown are among seven open space areas in and around Croydon that are managed by the City of London Corporation and which have won Green Flag status again this year.
Oasis: Kenley Common, one the areas managed by the City Corporation which has been given a Green Flag award
The City Commons also include Spring Park, West Wickham Common and Ashstead Common, and which together comprise nearly 2,000 acres of outstanding natural environments which attract 2.5million visits annually.
The prestigious Green Flag scheme recognises parks and other green spaces as some of the very best managed sites in the world. The international award, run by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, is now into its third decade.
The City Corporation is a major green spaces provider in London and south-east England.
It protects more than 11,000 acres of open space – including Epping Forest and Hampstead Heath – and over 200 smaller ones in the Square Mile, investing £38million a year.
These sites, most of which are charitable trusts, are run at little or no cost to the communities that they serve. They include important wildlife habitats, Special Areas of Conservation, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and National Nature Reserves. They are protected from being built on by special legislation.
The City Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee sets policy for The Commons. Its chairman, Ben Murphy, said: “The Green Flag accreditation is issued to sites which meet the needs of local communities and the highest possible standards of management.
Seven up: City Commons wardens from the seven Commons around Croydon, Bromley and Surrey with six of their seven hard-worn Green Flags
“It is testament to the continued hard work and skills of our loyal team of staff and volunteers that they have been awarded these flags again.
“These sites are critical to the health and wellbeing of countless visitors, and a large part of their appeal is the way the natural environment is maintained. Congratulations to all of the team for their success after a very difficult year”.
Six of the sites also claimed the Green Heritage accreditation in recognition of their historic features and high standard of conservation.
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This is something to be so proud about! These green spaces bring immense physical and psychological benefits to Croydon’s residents and they provide a much-needed haven for the wildlife and plant-life that share our environment.
Am I right in thinking that all the green spaces in and around Croydon which are managed by the Council have lost their green flag status?