What is the Pathways to Nature Project?

The Pathways to Nature Project will restore biodiverse habitat, create new green spaces, provide opportunities for play, rest and social connection at Lancaster West and across Notting Dale.
This project has been awarded £500,000 from the Mayor of London's Green Roots project, and a further £80,000 from the London Marathon Foundations Active Spaces Grant to fund a new play space between Hurstway Walk and Testerton Walk and to create accessible pathways and a terraced rain garden on Whitchurch Road to address the flood risk.
We are always open to ideas and feedback, if you would like to have your say, please contact us at LWNT-Landscape@rbkc.gov.uk.
The Pathways to Nature project is part of our wider aim to Create a Garden Estate, and become carbon-neutral by 2030, click the link below to find out more about our Sustainability projects.

Find out more

Engagement: Lancaster West Green Spaces Survey 2026

Between February and June 2026 we employed seven young Landscape Ambassadors to survey residents on Lancaster West Estate about how they currently use their green space, and what they would like to see.

179

total reponses(143 residents, 36 non-residents)

3.39/5

Avg resident satisfaction with current green spaces

55.3%

of respondents feel welcome in the current space

respondents have lived on the estate for 20+years

respondents are from households with children

116

respondents mention getting fresh air as a top activity

respondents mention needing to improve the current play area

respondents were aged 14-25

2025 Unlock Net Zero Engagement of the Year Award Winner

Engagement: Young Ambassadors

Over a nine week programme, run by Social Place in partnership with Make Space for Girls, Turkington Martin and the Lancaster West Neighbourhood Team, Honey, Kayla and Katalina shared experiences and ideas about the estate they love and the future they imagine for it. This future is about celebration, peace, unity and culture.

Week 1: Locating YourselfThe ambassadors began their work by mapping the local places they used, the ones they didn't and those that they would like to use.
Week 2: Journeys ThroughThe ambassadors went on a site visit around the area and the estate and produced a sound map of their experiences.
Week 3: Public(ness)Conducting independent site studies, the young ambassadors explored public space, the notice of 'publicness' and the relationship between gender and public space.
Week 4: Identifying the IssuesAnother site visit around the estate this time focusing on where the landscape architects had identified 'sites of interest'.
Week 5: What Could BeThe Young Ambassadors each sketched and mood-boarded a series of interventions that they felt would make the space a (more) ideal space for them.
Week 6,7,8 & 9: Reflecting and SharingFinally the ambassadors reflected on, presented, and amended their design proposals with the client (LWNT), the landscape architects (Turkington Martin), and lighting designers (Light Follows Behaviour).
Read the report here

Engagement: Family Focus Groups

In July and August we organised two trips, where families visited different playgrounds across London and gave their feedback on what they liked and what they would like to see more of on their estate. Here are some of the things they liked and disliked;

Liked: Natural features such as logs and boulders and play equipment made of natural materials e.g. wood.
Disliked: Dusty or sandy areas and having to use informal areas for seating such as stairs or walls.
Key takeaway: Residents said they would like the space to be open to all, and welcoming to children and adults.

Phase 1- Improving Play & Seating at Hurstway Walk

During engagement residents told us that their biggest priority is improving the play and seating in the Hurstway Walk playground area.
Phase 1 therefore includes replacing the existing playground with a new, expanded play area. A youth space will be introduced, serving as an extension of the central social gathering area and play space, offering opportunities for relaxation and social interaction. A range of seating opportunities will be created for sitting alone or in groups, which also provides opportunity for parents and carers to sit and overlook the new play area.
If you have any feedback on Phase 1, let us know by emailing via the link below.

Let us know your thoughts

Phase 2- Lancaster West Gateway

The second phase of the Pathways to Nature project will focus on reducing the flood risk and improving biodiversity, whilst celebrating this key entrance into the estate. It will improve the pedestrian experience and way finding into and through the estate. A new bespoke gateway structure will mark the arrival into the estate from Bramley Road, helping to indicate to residents and visitors the transition from public to semi-public space. The gateway structure will include lighting, seating and improved street level planting. The existing path network, which rises up from street level to reach the terraces, courtyards and building entrances, will be reduced in width and the hard surfacing around the large existing mature trees will be removed to create new rain gardens cascading down from high to low level.
If you have any feedback on Phase 1, let us know by emailing via the link below.

Let us know your thoughts

Timeline

Finalise designs and publish the tenderSep-Dec 2026

Complete Phase 1- Improving Play & SeatingJan-May 2027

Complete Phase 2- Lancaster West GatewayJan-Mar 2028