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Talbot Place Natural Playground

Project Overview

The site at Talbot Place forms part of Blackheath Common. Lewisham and the community group wanted to develop the space for the local communities to use and enjoy. epd was commissioned to design and project manage a scheme which caused no long lasting damage to the common land on which it was proposed.

  1. Wildlife exploration
  2. Mirror
  3. Informal playground and seating area
  4. Planting, including silver birch and gorse
  5. Primary, fully accessible route
  6. Play logs with climbing branches
  7. Indented swale/dry river bed
  8. Mounding
  9. Low timber deck bridge
  10. Area for willow tunnel, sculpture or den
  11. Musical play
  12. Informal mown route through meadow grass

The community group was involved at all stages of the project. This scheme involved working closely with a local community group and helping them secure additional funding to enhance the scheme. The design was enhanced with the use of local materials and the recycling of materials where possible. Timber was sourced from Greenwich Park to act as natural play equipment.

epd project managed all aspects of the project on behalf of the client including administering the contract onsite and managing all the project finances.

“We are keen to use materials for this that are as local as possible. The Heath was gravel pits and we’d like to use Blackheath gravel and pebbles.” Friend of Talbot Place.

The project has been constructed and is currently in the 12 month defect period.