Great landscape interventions work on the scale of the city but also create distinctive & memorable moments within it. Therefore our proposal creates a new active travel route that links communities & connects into existing infrastructure. It also improves the experience of the street and the public realm along the entire length of the new route.
Central Erith is dominated by late 20th century retail structures. Major roads are hostile to pedestrians & cyclists and pedestrianised areas suffer from a fading retail presence. Roads and Car Parks cover a large percentage of the centre.
Historic maps indicate a more coherent street plan with human-scaled streets and development particularly to the West of the pier. A snapshot in late 19th Century shows generous villas forming around semi-rural roads including The Avenue: still lined with handsome lime trees.
nimtim’s proposal introduces a new tree & swale-lined pedestrian/cycle route from the river and the historical pier to The Avenue in the heart of Erith’s residential neighbourhoods
It will reintroduce some of the historic qualities of The Avenue: mature trees and semi-wild planting and bring these through Erith’s nature depleted commercial centre to the river. Simultaneously, it will reinvent & redefine the Pier & Promenade’s unique street furniture and lighting & with new furniture, lighting and signage lining the new route into Erith’s residential heart. This new active travel route will link communities with each other and create a better connection to the existing infrastructure.
The proposal is deliberately of its place. Recognising Erith’s distance from the centre of the London and its suburban character, it is not commuter cycle infrastructure: it is a local connection that will seek to empower new cyclists and motorists to take up active travel and engage with their local centre. ‘Play on the way’ features will encourage families with young children to use the route. Benches and welcoming lighting will reassure those less mobile and those that feel less safe in the public realm.
Erith Pier Parade will introduce a new wildlife corridor and mitigate flooding in an area that will be increasingly prone to surface and river flooding. Trees will proved shade and shelter and reduce pollution and noise from busy roads.
The route’s surfaces, way-finding and street furniture will be co-designed with local residents and makers/ fabricators to create an identity that reflects their values and the character of Erith.
Our scheme won us a place on Lot 4 of the Mayor of London's A+U Framework which will provide a diverse, pre-approved panel of built environment consultants, making it quicker and easier for organisations like councils and housing associations to commission high quality expertise for public sector projects in London.
Erith Pier Parade
