Silkstream Park and Montrose Playing Fields

Barnet will become London's most populous Borough by 2030 and Colindale Ward will experience the most significant population growth across the borough over this period. As most of these new communities will be accommodated in high density housing, local green space will perform a vital function in providing residents with access to nature. Silkstream Park/Montrose Playing Fields are Colindale's largest open spaces but were in a parlous condition, having suffered from decades of under-investment. The parks' capacity to deliver positive outcomes for local people was limited by dilapidated facilities, persistent street drinking, drug dealing and rough sleeping. Even if they could find a good reason to be there, many people were too scared to spend any time in these spaces.

Barnet Council resolved to make a commitment to a significant investment in Silkstream Park and Montrose Playing Fields. This decision was informed by the findings and recommendations of the Borough's 2015 Parks an Open Spaces Strategy and award-wining Corporate Natural Capital Account (also prepared by Jon Sheaff and Associates). We have developed a scheme that has focused on the provision of social, environmental and economic benefits for local residents. We have used the metrics developed in the CNCA to evidence the economic value of these benefits, allowing is to bring an additional £600k in external resources into the project to deliver natural capital outcomes.
Funding from the EA funded ecological enhancements in the riparian zone of the Silkstream and the creation of 3,500m3 of attenuation to limit flooding in the Brent catchment. Funding from the GLA supports better cycle and pedestrian infrastructure and measures to mitigate against urban warming and poor air quality and to provide carbon sequestration through the installation of 280 new trees. Funding from the Marathon Trust will impact on avoidable health costs by encouraging more active lifestyles through the provision of facilities for sports and play.

Through the re-design and by working with Barnet's Safer Neighbourhoods Team, we have eliminated the anti-social behaviour that had formerly marked these as failing spaces. These newly created spaces are now full of activity. Re-opening the parks has been particularly timely in the context of Covid 19, providing abundant socially-distanced space for local residents to escape the pressures of lockdown. This new intensity of use will support the integration of the existing communities on the Watling Estate and new communities moving into the Colindale Hospital area. Silkstream Park and Montrose Playing Fields will be the glue that binds these communities together and the new Park Hub cafe and community space will perform a vital function in this process.

Silkstream Park/Montrose Playing Fields are now places that are full of hope and optimism. They are ready to provide vital green space and ecosystem services at a time when the importance of natural capital to national renewal has come sharply into focus.