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NCA Profile:112 Inner London National Character 112. Inner London Area profile: Supporting documents www.naturalengland.org.uk 1 National Character 112. Inner London Area profile: Supporting documents Introduction National Character Areas map As part of Natural England’s responsibilities as set out in the Natural Environment 1 2 3 White Paper , Biodiversity 2020 and the European Landscape Convention , we are North revising profiles for England’s 159 National Character Areas (NCAs). These are areas East that share similar landscape characteristics, and which follow natural lines in the landscape rather than administrative boundaries, making them a good decision- Yorkshire making framework for the natural environment. & The North Humber NCA profiles are guidance documents which can help communities to inform their West decision-making about the places that they live in and care for. The information they contain will support the planning of conservation initiatives at a landscape East scale, inform the delivery of Nature Improvement Areas and encourage broader Midlands partnership working through Local Nature Partnerships. The profiles will also help West Midlands to inform choices about how land is managed and can change. East of England Each profile includes a description of the natural and cultural features that shape our landscapes, how the landscape has changed over time, the current key London drivers for ongoing change, and a broad analysis of each area’s characteristics and ecosystem services. Statements of Environmental Opportunity (SEOs) are South East suggested, which draw on this integrated information. The SEOs offer guidance South West on the critical issues, which could help to achieve sustainable growth and a more secure environmental future. NCA profiles are working documents which draw on current evidence and knowledge. We will aim to refresh and update them periodically as new 1 The Natural Choice: Securing the Value of Nature, Defra information becomes available to us. (2011; URL: www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm80/8082/8082.pdf) 2 Biodiversity 2020: A Strategy for England’s Wildlife and Ecosystem Services, Defra We would like to hear how useful the NCA profiles are to you. You can contact the (2011; URL: www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13583-biodiversity-strategy-2020-111111.pdf) NCA team by emailing [email protected] 3 European Landscape Convention, Council of Europe (2000; URL: http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/en/Treaties/Html/176.htm) 2 National Character 112. Inner London Area profile: Supporting documents Summary Predominantly urban, the Inner London National Character Area (NCA) lies at the Some of the large central parks were previously Royal hunting grounds and centre of the Thames Basin on a broad flood plain which rises in gentle terraces, have inspired many paintings and works of art. Other parts of London’s natural providing panoramic views of London’s skyline from the clay plateaux and ridges landscape have literary connotations, such as the River Thames which is vividly in the north at the border with the Northern Thames Basin. The NCA is steeped portrayed in the novels of Charles Dickens. The capital city also contains in both historical and contemporary culture; it is the centre of UK Government several World Heritage Sites including the Tower of London as well as eight and a major international hub for finance, business, tourism, transport and landscaped Royal Parks. recreation. Owing to its urban nature, Inner London relies heavily on ecosystem services provided by the surrounding NCAs, such as flood alleviation, air Inner London can be described as being one of the ‘greenest’ cities in the world. temperature regulation and recreational services. For example, the Thames Its allotments, rivers, reservoirs, parks and gardens often support a varied range Barrier in the Greater Thames Estuary is a major tidal flood defence for London. of wildlife such as sand martins and hedgehogs, and peregrine falcons can be found nesting in some inner-city locations. Climate change, population growth However, the extensive network of green infrastructure throughout the and development are just some of the pressures facing Inner London and it is NCA, including Local Nature Reserves such as Camley Street, provides important that urban greening methods are supported and enhanced, including outdoor recreation and wildlife habitat close to people’s homes and places through London’s green infrastructure which comprises the natural and designed of work. Reservoirs and wetlands such as the Lea Valley in the east provide green spaces and vegetated surfaces across Inner London NCA. opportunities for birding and fishing, as well as walking, cycling and boating. Water-based activities are provided along the Thames and its tributary rivers, the Grand Union Canal and Docklands. Parks and green spaces scattered among the built environment provide highly valued pockets of perceived tranquillity. Nevertheless, many communities in London suffer a shortage of green space close to where they live. The Thames Path National Trail also provides extensive walking opportunities following the river together with strategic walking routes such as the Capital Ring and the Jubilee Walkway. The low, wooded ridges to the north and south form a low-key backdrop to the internationally significant buildings and cityscape in the wide valley bottom. Click map to enlarge; click again to reduce. 3 National Character 112. Inner London Area profile: Supporting documents Statements of Environmental Opportunity SEO 1: Protect and enhance the landscape of the River Thames and its tributaries, and the extensive network of associated water environments, celebrating its rich industrial heritage, promoting sense of place, improving water quality and securing the long-term resilience of water resources, flood alleviation, biodiversity, geodiversity and recreation. SEO 2: Protect and enhance the network of Inner London’s green spaces so that it provides services where people need them, promotes recreational and educational opportunities, supports biodiversity, reinforces local character and is resilient to future challenges such as climate change. SEO 3: Protect, manage and plan for expansion of the urban forest as part of the area’s green infrastructure strategy to ensure that it meets future needs for climate regulation, supports biodiversity and recreation and strengthens local landscape character. SEO 4: Reconnect people with nature by providing opportunities and View towards Canary Wharf from Mudchute Park, Isle of Dogs. access to engage with nature close to where they live, work and play, reinforcing sense of place, improving recreation and providing benefits for biodiversity and climate regulation. 4 National Character 112. Inner London Area profile: Supporting documents Description Physical and functional links to other National The NCA is steeped in both historical and contemporary culture; it is the centre of UK Government and a major international hub for finance, business, tourism and Character Areas transport. People from the surrounding NCAs, the rest of the UK and Europe travel Entirely urban, Inner London relies heavily on ecosystem services provided by the to Inner London every day for work and leisure. surrounding National Character Areas (NCAs) – Northern Thames Basin, Greater Thames Estuary, North Kent Plain, North Downs, Thames Basin Lowlands and Thames Valley. Wetlands, woodlands and parklands in these NCAs provide flood alleviation and air temperature regulation. The Thames Barrier is a major tidal flood defence for London. These NCAs also provide a range of recreational services to Inner London. Similarly, Inner London has some high-quality green spaces such as the Royal Parks and a range of heritage sites including the Tower of London and Greenwich Park. Such attractions encourage millions of visitors each year to the capital locally, nationally and internationally, which provides key cultural services way beyond the Inner London NCA boundary. The River Thames flows from headwaters in the Cotswolds through the Upper Thames Clay Vales and the Midvale Ridge, the Chilterns and the Thames Valley in the west, through the centre of Inner London and out to the Greater Thames Estuary in the east, transitioning from a freshwater channel to a marine estuary. London receives 60 per cent of its drinking water from the Thames and its tributaries; groundwater provides the remaining 40 per cent, with the Chalk which surrounds London forming the predominant aquifer. Inner London lies at the centre of the Thames Basin on a broad flood plain which rises in gentle terraces, providing panoramic views of London’s skyline from the Peregrine falcons, such as this one seen perching on the Houses of Parliament, have adapted clay plateaux and ridges in the north at the border with the Northern Thames Basin. to life in the inner city. 5 National Character 112. Inner London Area profile: Supporting documents Key characteristics ■ Varied geology and topography that have defined the growth of London. ■ A network of rivers, streams, canals, lakes, reservoirs and smaller Inner London sits within a wide flood plain dominated by London Clay waterbodies which, together with similar features in outer London, form soils and gravel terraces; low hills to the north and shallow river valleys are a strategically important network which provides transport corridors, almost entirely obscured by dense urban development. Hills to the north drainage and flood management,
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