There's a strong possibility that you live close to a patch of land similar to the ones that Blackfriars Urban Greening is trying to eradicate. The UK's towns and cities are littered with disused garages, barren former flower beds, and plazas of cracked paving that humans rarely set foot on. Even in the capital, where, despite land values' position at the top of European league tables, patches of 'brownfield' carve up gardens, paths and parks. Professor Tony Travers of the London School of Economics coined the term 'grotification' to describe the declining standards of our streets. Add in the roads that cars rarely drive down, and you've got a network of unloved land, waiting to be made into something more useful.
The UK's reputation for making change difficult, combined with a planning system that's renowned for its red tape and glacial speed, puts off most people from doing something about it. So when anyone sets out to tackle the problem, I'm particularly interested in how they're getting it done. I spoke to Oliver Ramsay-Gray, a volunteer helping lead the charge to link up the parks and gardens of an inner-London suburb, clearing away the bins, broken footpaths, and general blight that keeps them apart.
Cal Roscow: In one sentence, what is the Blackfriars Urban Greening project?
Oliver Ramsay-Gray: Very simply, we’re a group of eight local residents who want to bring more nature and greenery into our neighbourhood and ensure that public spaces are welcoming and safe for all.