Ballymore set for programme of activities drawing attention to its Royal Docks schemes
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The 100th birthday of Lyle Park in Royal Docks is a reminder, perhaps, that we are simply custodians of the land – morally obliged to leave it better than we found it.
Created originally on land donated by Sir Leonard Lyle (of Tate & Lyle) to West Ham Council, it was initially intended as a vital strip of green open space to improve the lives of residents and workers living in cramped conditions around the factories during the docks’ heyday.
It rapidly became an essential lung in a sea of grimy, polluting industry – a place where at least people could find an escape from their toil for a few hours and enjoy a stroll by the Thames.
But with the factories’ decline and departure (Tate & Lyle being a notable exception), this parcel of grass and trees became a somewhat overlooked anomaly, at least until plans for regeneration arrived.
For now, 100 years after its creation, Lyle Park is once again centre-stage – a valuable and treasured asset for the emerging communities at Royal Wharf and, more recently, Riverscape.
A new building – The Latham – is set to launch later this month at the latter and developer Ballymore is eager to emphasise its proximity to the open space.
To that end, it’s spent time and money sprucing up the park for its 100th birthday and creating a series of attractions to help bring more people to the area.
Driving visitors to the space is also part of the company’s ongoing regeneration plans as Lyle Park should – if planning permission is granted – soon be bordered on its far side by the developer’s scheme for Knights Road.
This will see a further 1,300 homes created along the Thames alongside light industrial units, open spaces and shops.
marking the anniversary of Lyle Park
“The park had been surrounded by industrial land, so we’ve been working on how we could get people back there and celebrate its 100th birthday,” said James Boyce, associate regional sales director at Ballymore.
“Given we’re just completing the construction of Riverscape, we’ve been thinking about the best way to activate it, to pull people in from all the surrounding developments to come and enjoy the park.
“We’ve been making improvements in partnership with Newham Parks such as pruning some of the larger trees, tidying up the paths and works to the steps – we’re really excited to share them with people.”
Should planning permission be granted for Knights Road, Ballymore will further update and polish the park’s offering.
But in the meantime it’s celebrating the space’s centenary with a pair of installations.
The first has seen east London artist Maud Milton and her team at Trinity Buoy Wharf-based Artyface cement a series of four mosaic artworks into the fabric of the Lyle Park marking its 100th birthday and highlighting some of the birds found on the Thames and its tributaries.
The second will see SuperShakes operate a pop-up at the park.
The new health-focused drinks brand has been created by owner of The Lockdown Room and The Eleventh Hour, Dan Bull, (find out more about him here) and it will be the lynch pin of a series of fitness events in partnership with Royal Wharf Club House and One Element Docklands.
All of these activities officially launch on October 5, when interested parties can also get a sneak peek at homes in The Latham.
James said: “It’s a fine building, housing 52 apartments split into one, two and three-beds. It’s also the last opportunity to buy a home facing over Lyle Park.
“For nature-lovers, these properties are ideal.
“The apartments all have big balconies or terraces and you can see the grass and trees – some of which are 100 years old – stretching out in front of you.
“If you walk down the steps from The Latham, you’re literally in the park, it’s a real selling point.
“What’s also a little more unusual is that on the ground floor, we have four apartments – two one-beds and two-three beds – that have almost double-height ceilings and they’re really special.
“The three-beds, especially, are spectacular if you’re a family looking for lots of space and easy access to the outdoors”
In addition, residents at The Latham will enjoy all the amenities of both Riverscape and Royal Wharf as well as excellent transport links via the DLR.
key details: The Latham at Riverscape
Homes in The Latham at Riverscape are set to officially launch on October 26, 2024.
Prices start at £430,000.
Those seeking an early preview can take a tour of the building on October 5, 2024, at 11am, 1pm or 3pm departing from the Riverscape Sales Gallery at Royal Wharf.
For more information about Riverscape and SuperShakes’ fitness events over the coming months, follow @supershakes and @riverscapeldn on Instagram
Find out more about homes at the scheme here
meeting Maud Milton
Artist Maud Milton set up Artyface Community Art in 1999 in Tower Hamlets and has been making public works ever since.
Based at Trinity Buoy Wharf, a neighbour to Ballymore’s Goodluck Hope scheme in Leamouth, she and her team were commissioned by the developer to create a mosaic mural trail in celebration of Lyle Park’s centenary.
The four works are set to be officially unveiled on October 5, 2024.
“I got a degree in ceramics from Cardiff and then did a residency in North Wales for a year,” said Maud.
“But my mum was from east London and moved back here and I joined her in Stepney Green to set up the business.
“I got an office job in London to pay the bills, but had repetitive strain injury from long hours working as a web editor and copywriter, so I was forced to leave work with no idea what I could do.
“I showed my portfolio around to lots of people and got a commission with one council.
vThen I met graphic designer Catherine Clark through another job and she’s been working with me ever since.”
With Catherine creating the designs and Maud using ceramics and mosaic techniques to bring them into reality, Artyface has made a name for itself across London and beyond with its colourful, community driven works including roundel signs for stations.
“We’ve been doing it for 25 years and Catherine is incredible,” said Maud.
“The nice thing about these pieces is that they’re there 24/7 and they’re free for people to look at.
“For the Lyle Park pieces, as is often the case, we’ve worked with residents and children at a local primary school to make the blue tiles that form the borders.
“The mosaics we’ve created are a celebration of the wildlife on the Thames.
“There’s a swan, an oyster catcher, a mallard duck and a kingfisher.
“The idea is that the pieces also serve as an educational tool, because they’re labelled with the name of the species in English and Latin.
“It’s about literacy too – a lot of our projects have got words in, so you’ve got words woven into the pieces via the tiles people have created.”
Fired to 1,280ºC the ceramics used to make the works should survive anything the UK weather can throw at them and remain durable enough to last another 100 years.
“I hope people are curious, happy and surprised when they see them,” said Maud.
“They become part of people’s daily lives and some go and visit them specially. That makes us so proud.
“Public commissions should become part of the streetscape.
“I know with some of our works, there are children who want to go and see the animals on their way to the nursery, so the mosaics wind up becoming a loved part of their daily commute.
“It’s not just children – I’ve got a photograph of a family – three generations – leaning up against the wall and touching one of our pieces.
“It makes them proud of their area and that someone cared enough to make something like this.
“I love getting photographs from people on Instagram, because I forget how many are out there getting that appreciation.
“We’re always up for new commissions and I’d love to do a DLR station or a roundel with a rainbow for Pride in Soho. We want all the challenges.”
Artyface also makes work for sale including private commissions for pieces such as door numbers or signs.
Find out more about Artyface here
Read more: Canary Wharf unveils Eden Dock at the heart of the estate
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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
