The Friends of Chalcot Square Gardens are inviting your opinions on a proposal to place a hedge around the perimeter of the square, and behind the benches at the centre of the square.
If the residents are in favour then we will liaise with the council to request this. We will only proceed if two-thirds of the addresses in Chalcot Square are in favour; we are also keen to hear from others outside of the square.
All responses will be kept anonymous, although Ian Ferguson (Chair) and Sandy Rattray (Garden Representative) will see the answers and may contact you for further information.
We need names and addresses so that we can separate residents from other users. Please limit to one response per address. We are keen to keep this as friendly and positive as possible!
A Short History Of Chalcot Square
Below is a short history of Chalcot Square and its’ planting. The hedge was proposed by Todd Longstaffe Gowan, the pre-eminent expert on London Garden Squares, as a way of returning the square closer to its original form and increasing biodiversity, similar to his work at Charterhouse Square. You can also download a presentation covering this history here.
Among the advantages of a hedge might be:
- The hedges will increase biodiversity, especially if they are of mixed planting (e.g. Hawthorn & Hazel)
- The hedging will hide the cars that we see so much, especially from within the square (compare Charterhouse Square images in the presentation)
- Planting behind the benches will make them more comfortable to sit on
- Hedges may discourage football playing
- Older people have been seen less in the square as it has been dominated by children. Hedges might make the square a more comfortable place for all to use
Among the disadvantages might be:
- There may be issues with maintenance
- The hedges might provide more opportunities for nefarious activities in the square
- The planting may not survive (in particular physical damage and lack of rain might cause that) or might become messy
- Some people prefer the aesthetic of an open space
Garden Survey
Closing date Sunday 18 December 2022. We’ve re-opened the survey to allow more people to express their views – the survey now closes midnight 31 December 2022.
SURVEY NOW CLOSED