Wild West End is a unique partnership between central London’s largest property owners: Church Commissioners for England, The Crown Estate, Great Portland Estates, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, The Portman Estate, The Howard de Walden Estate and Shaftesbury. Together we are introducing measures to encourage birds, bees, and bats back into the heart of London, and create greater connections with nature for residents, visitors, and workers to enjoy.  

One of Wild West End’s primary goals is to create green steppingstones between the existing areas of surrounding parkland, through a combination of green roofs, green walls, planters, street trees, flower boxes and pop-up spaces. 

A key focus area for Wild West End is to make urban environments more enjoyable for all those who come to the area whether it is to live, work, study or simply visit. There is increasing evidence that links access to green space to socio-economic factors, including better social cohesion, lower stress, and higher levels of satisfaction and wellbeing. 

The Wild West End vision is realised through the efforts of our partners and members, including our Business Improvement Districts. We aim to share knowledge, best practice, and raise awareness with the local community too, one example of this can be seen here, where our partner Shaftesbury produced and distributed postcards describing some of the actions they have taken in Carnaby.

 The Wild West End Value Matrix (as shown our on our website) highlights our principles to practice approach towards biodiversity, social engagement, and wellbeing. 

In the next section, you can find out more about how a few of our projects are contributing to improved urban spaces. For further information on the Partnership, Members, and Contributing Authors, visit the Wild West End website: http://www.wildwestend.london/about

CASE STUDIES

Church Commissioners for England - The Reflections Garden 2020 – Hyde Park Estate

The latest garden installation on the Hyde Park Estate has been created in an unused space 13.1m by 6.3m at 25 Porchester Place London W2 to provide a welcome area of green space for reflection and seclusion for residents. This has been translated through a carefully selected planting palette of fragrant white flowers and aromatic foliage. Three mature Olive trees with beautiful, gnarled bark and silver sheen, positioned on York stone paving in bespoke planters provide a sense of instant maturity and are the main visual anchor points in the design. The focal point in the garden is a spherical black slate orb. This water feature whilst visually arresting also acts as an important cooling water source, which alongside the bird baths, provide important water sources for the local birds and wildlife. An insect hotel made from wood / canes and blocks is located at the reverse side of the troughs to provide a secluded refuge and bird boxes are to be installed in the olive trees and high up in the trellis work.

The Howard de Walden Estate - Preserving the Past to Protect the Future

The Howard de Walden Estate’s head office is nearing completion, showcasing how we successfully combine restoration of heritage features with low carbon, sustainable design, and modern technology. In reworking, and extending 23 Queen Anne Street in Marylebone, we are creating improved office space while retaining much of the original structure and façade. 

With a dedicated environmental focus from the outset, this all-electric, BREEAM-rated office demonstrates how beautiful, historic buildings of the past can be adapted to contribute to a sustainable future. It features upcycled furniture throughout along with air source heat pumps and new green roofs. Newly planted trees and native, nectar-rich flowers fed by a rainwater harvesting system, and on-site beehives, bird and insect boxes will bolster Marylebone’s wildlife.

Grosvenor Britain & Ireland - One of London’s most sustainable office developments gets approval

Grosvenor Britain & Ireland has received planning permission for the total refurbishment and one storey extension of a 1980s office building at Holbein Place in Belgravia. 

The designs, which focus on retaining the existing 5 storey structure, re-use of materials and introduction of extensive greening, will result in one of London’s most sustainable office buildings whilst also creating a healthier and more enjoyable indoor environment for its tenants. 

The in-use energy efficiency will be enhanced through effective lighting and mechanical equipment, on-site renewable energy generation, sustainable urban drainage systems and blue roofs.  Blue roofs provide a number of benefits, including stormwater control, mitigation of the urban heat islands effect and recreational opportunities.

Commenting Philip George, Project Director, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland said: “We’ve pushed every opportunity to make this a highly sustainable office environment without compromising on comfort, or the experience, of future occupiers. We’re proud that this will become GBI’s most sustainable office building and a benchmark for building adaptation and retrofit in London.”

The Baker Street Quarter Partnership - George’s Park: A Green Oasis To Improve Air Quality

The Baker Street Quarter Partnership values biodiversity as a core sustainability principle, supporting our commitments to improve air quality and contribute to a safe and sustainable street environment.

It’s often true that good things really do come in small packages… and, George’s Park, the pocket park in the Baker Street Quarter is no exception. Working with Derwent London and The Portman Estate, an unused, unloved space off George Street (near the junction with Baker Street) was transformed into a veritable oasis.

The design and planting of this green pocket park sought to protect and enhance air quality and biodiversity and create a beautiful and people-friendly space Silver birch sit alongside pollen rich hardy perennials to create a low-maintenance, drought tolerant space that also benefits wildlife.