Comment

Revealing Greenwich Park: A right royal highlight

As part of a series of personal reflections to celebrate our Heritage and Townscape team turning 10, Marc Timlin writes about his involvement.

I have had many career highlights during my eight years at Turley, one of which was becoming a trusted advisor to the Royal Parks. Alongside my Planning colleagues, I have been working to support the delivery of the Greenwich Park Revealed project.

This once-in-a-generation project at the heart of the Greenwich Maritime World Heritage Site combines ambitious scope and vision and will reinstate long-lost and degraded elements of the historic landscape. The most significant works will restore the Giant Steps, as a key part of the original, 17th century Baroque design of a royal landscape, to frame the dramatic view from the Royal Observatory.

The project recognises that the significance of Greenwich Park is layered and will have different values and meanings. Alongside the big moves to restore the legibility of the Baroque landscape, the masterplan incorporates: a new Learning Centre and improved interpretation to make the park a focus for the local community and celebrate its history; long-term measures to improve biodiversity and local habitats; and, appreciation of the remaining deer park (a remarkable remnant of a royal medieval landscape).

The long-term impacts of climate change had a particular impact on decisions relating to landscape restoration. I believe this approach is the future for managing change in the historic environment, requiring very careful thought on achieving the optimal balance between significance and future-proofing to ensure that heritage assets remain valid and protected, within a fast-changing world.

Greenwich Park Revealed is a testament to what can be achieved by an enlightened client and project team, who have a long-term vision and an informed understanding of the heritage significance of a place, assisted by constructive engagement with stakeholders. Moreover, this project demonstrates that major interventions and transformational change is possible, even when dealing with heritage assets of the highest levels of significance.  

I look forward to visiting Greenwich Park when the works are completed and taking in the iconic view south from outside the Wolfe Statue, where the reinstated Grand Ascent and Parterre Banks will provide a magnificent Baroque landscape framing the Queen’s House and Royal Hospital; a special and unique experience in London.  

For more information on the work of our Heritage and Townscape service, please contact a member of the team. 

18 January 2021