Landscape
The Oxford Street District has a wealth of green spaces with Hyde Park at its western end and a series of handsome garden squares to either side of Oxford Street along its length. The beautiful green spaces of the gardens are far more attractive than the streets surrounding them, with difficult connections to the entrances and restricted sightlines to the gardens. Some of these challenges are currently already being addressed through the redesign of Hanover Square which is underway and future works to Grosvenor Square is also in consideration. There are plans for additional trees and greenery across the whole district, with additional new street trees improving street spaces such as Old Quebec Street and Marylebone Lane. The footways across the area and on Oxford Street are narrow and have services running underneath which can make accommodation of street trees difficult. However, potential footway widening has made greenery possible in a greater number of places. Unlike Regent Street, Oxford Street trees are part of its character. Property owners in the area are finding ways to contribute to the biodiversity of the area through the Wild West End initiative which aims to enhance biodiversity and encouraging wildlife into the West End of London, to create a better place to live, work and visit.
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PLACE STRATEGY
The Place Strategy will be developing a set of objectives, including but not limited to the below: ••
Assess every street and space in the district and potential new trees and greenery exploring all options for tree planting. When building out footways whilst ensuring important sight lines and pedestrian connections across and along the street are retained, in addition to maintaining healthy mature trees.
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Provide additional street trees and greenery, to enhance the environment and character, across the whole district, giving shelter and shade in places where people gather and rest, particularly in new public spaces with opportunity for much more greenery in spaces just off Oxford Street.
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Celebrate and revitalise the historic garden squares. Ensure excellent quality of landscaping and diversity of species in Soho Square and Cavendish Square as exceptional places to spend time.
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Improve connections to green spaces within the district, including Hyde Park, to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of everyone who visits, lives and works in the district.
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Include a variety of tree species, increasing the area’s biodiversity, which would also create a range of colours and changing natural environment across the seasons.
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Create a green corridor on Great Portland Street to enhance the historic street and connections from Oxford Street to the adjacent neighbourhoods.
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Where permanent greening is not possible, consider temporary green parks on rooftops.
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Commission a landscape and planting strategy.
Precedents
Mariahilferstrasse, Vienna A tree-lined boulevard in the centre of the city
Bonnington Square, London Lush planting in small public spaces
Colville Place, London Greening of quieter streets
Rue de Tresor, Paris A range of planting and tree species on side streets
Caixa Forum, Madrid Green wall in Madrid’s cultural centre
Handyside Garden, London A pocket park and children’s play area in King’s Cross
Southbank Centre rooftop, London Opportunities to improve biodiversity in central London
Pocket spaces, Urban Garden, Favara Adding variety through temporary parks