05 Mar 2003 - 01 Jan 2004
300 Year Old View threatened by Mayor's plans
Richmond Park

One of London's most ancient and amazing views is under threat from the Mayor's draft Plan for London. The draft Plan has ignored the 300-year-old strategic view from atop King Henry VIII's Mound in Richmond Park to St Paul's Cathedral, over 10 miles away. The Mayor has said the view doesn't exist but it clearly does.

The view to St Paul's was established soon after the completion of St Paul's Cathedral in 1710 (the previous cathedral had been destroyed in 1666's Great Fire of London). King Henry VIII's Mound stands within the public gardens of Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park and is the highest point in the Park. Looking east from the Mound you can see St Paul's Cathedral over 10 miles away. Looking west you see a magnificent panorama of the Thames Valley.

To see the cathedral you look through a special gap in the holly hedging, down a specially maintained clear avenue in Sidmouth Wood and then all the way across London.

Campaigners have already worked to protect the view and on 22nd May 1992 the Secretary of State for the Environment gave protection for "...the strategic view of St Paul's Cathedral from Henry VIII's Mound in Richmond Park...(and its)...viewing corridor." However, in 2002, the Mayor's Draft London Plan omitted the view of St Paul's from the list of 'London Panoramas'. In fact the Draft London Plan failed to include listed parks and gardens, including The Royal Parks, as historic environments to be considered when proposing new developments. Strong objections were lodged by The Royal Parks.

"If the view is not included in this London Plan then it will lose all its legal protection. We will fight tooth and nail to prevent this from happening," said Simon Richards, Park Manager for Richmond Park.

It is believed that the view was temporarily 'lost' during WWII when many of the gardeners and park workers were called up. Trees grew across the avenue in Sidmouth Wood and the holly hedge spread over the gap. It was 'rediscovered' by Mr James Batten in 1976.

The rediscovered view was instrumental in preventing British Rail's then proposal for redeveloping Liverpool Street Station, as the tall structure would have formed an unacceptable backdrop to the view of St Paul's. Protection of this view has also protected other views of St Paul's, such as those from Waterloo Bridge, South Bank and Hungerford Bridge.

Source:
The Royal Parks

For further information contact:
The Royal Parks Press Office T: 020 7298 2128 E: press@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk

Editor's notes:
According to the Transcript of Planning and Spatial Development Committee (item 5) on 18th July 2002 (see http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/plansd/2002/plansdjul18/plansdjul18mins_app.rtf) the Mayor said "Can you stand there and see it? Because I can't. What's the point of a street and community which only exists on the map? You can't see St Paul's from there." See Evening Standard (City Prices, 6th March, page 22) for the proof that you can easily see it with the naked eye.

Richmond Park covers 2,358 acres and is Europe's largest urban walled park (the wall is 8 miles long). Its origins as a place for royal deer hunting go back to Edward I (1272-1307) and it still retains a 650+ herd of deer (Red & Fallow). The continuous grazing by the deer has shaped the park's habitats, maintaining stunning views over rolling grasslands and majestic parkland trees.

Richmond Park is London's largest Site of Special Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve, a candidate European Special Area of Conservation and a Grade 1 Listed landscape, all of which shows it to be a nationally and internationally important site for wildlife conservation.

Species records for the Park include 49 grasses, rush and sedges; over 250 fungi; more than 1000 beetles; 546 butterflies and moths; 139 spiders; 144 birds; and 25 mammals. Several birds found in the central region of the Park are on the national Red (seriously threatened) or Amber (declining) lists, and the Park supports 162 Red Data Book or Notable species of invertebrate. The brown hare and probably also the grey partridge (also a Red-listed species) have disappeared from the Park in recent years.

Millions of Londoners and tourists visit the eight Royal Parks for free each year. The 5,000 acres of carefully conserved historic parkland provide unparalleled opportunities for enjoyment, exploration and healthy living in the heart of the capital.

The Royal Parks are: Bushy Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park (with Primrose Hill), Richmond Park and St James's Park.