Source: City of Westminster
The Strand Aldwych project has earned a Green Flag Award, recognising its exceptional transformation from one of London’s busiest and most polluted streets into a thriving public green space in the heart of the capital.
The Green Flag Award is an international recognition awarded to parks and green spaces with excellent management in the UK and around the world.
The project has also been awarded the Green Heritage Site Accreditation, an acknowledgement of its outstanding conservation of historical and cultural significance alongside its environmental value.
Strand Aldwych is the first pedestrianised green space to achieve either of these awards, setting a benchmark for urban transformation in the country.
Launched in December 2022, the Strand Aldwych project transformed what was once a congested and polluted road system into a vibrant, car-free public space that celebrates the cultural and historic heritage of the area.
With an investment of £22 million from Westminster City Council, the project has created a new pedestrian zone the size of a football pitch, connecting the historic St Mary le Strand church with London’s leading cultural and educational institutions in the area, including King’s College London, the London School of Economics, Somerset House, and The Courtauld Institute.
The Strand and Aldwych areas now welcome 14 million visitors annually, and are home to 400 businesses employing over 20,000 people.
Key features of the transformation include:
- A safe, car-free zone with increased cycle parking, improved safety at junctions, and expanded footways on nearby roads to support pedestrian movement and cycling.
- New seating areas offering a place for people to relax under the shade of trees.
- A variety of trees and planting to support biodiversity, provide year-round colour, and contribute to a greener urban environment.
- As a 7,000m² green space in one of the busiest areas of central London, the project has enhanced air quality, offered urban cooling and provided support for pollinators.
- The space also serves as an accessible cultural platform, with rotating art installations around the year and connections to nearby cultural and educational institutions.
Cllr Ryan Jude, Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Ecology, Culture and Air Quality, said:
“I’m proud to announce that Strand Aldwych has just earned a Green Flag Award for its outstanding urban transformation. This is a well-deserved recognition of the area as a world-class public green space connecting historic and cultural landmarks with the vibrant city life in central London.
“In response to our declaration of an ecological emergency in 2023, we developed our Greening and Biodiversity Strategy to make Westminster more resilient through improving and enhancing nature in the city. Our recently published Air Quality Action Plan also presents a bold and clear roadmap towards reducing air pollution and improving public health outcomes for residents.
“The Strand Aldwych project is an excellent example of a public space that is welcoming, accessible and beneficial to the environment. All key to our commitment to creating a greener, fairer Westminster for all our residents and visitors.”
Ruth Duston OBE OC, CEO of London Heritage Quarter, said:
“Creating calm, people-focused, places in urban spaces is an important priority for London Heritage Quarter. Strand Aldwych receiving a Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work of all involved, and the project is a great example of what collaborative work can achieve. By working closely with Westminster City Council and a wide range of partners and stakeholders including King’s College London, London School of Economics, Somerset House Trust, St Mary Le Strand and The Courtauld Institute, this greening scheme has delivered truly transformative results for this area of London that links the West End and the City.
“It serves as a template on how the pedestrianisation of public spaces can transform pockets of urban cities into a destination where people want to be.”
Miles Watson-Smyth, Chief Executive of Windowflowers Ltd, who plants and maintains the displays, said:
“We are incredibly proud to have played a part in the transformation and ongoing care of the gardens in the Strand Aldwych area, working alongside Westminster City Council. To see this space recognised with both a Green Flag Award and Green Heritage Site Accreditation is a true honour. When we’re on site, members of the public regularly stop to tell us how much they enjoy the gardens and to thank us for our work — that kind of appreciation, along with these prestigious awards, makes all our efforts feel truly worthwhile.”
Cannon Ivers, Director of LDA Design, said:
“This is a special moment for Strand-Aldwych and for all those who worked so hard to transform what was a heavily trafficked and polluted road into a place for people and for nature, and for those who tirelessly support and maintain the space so well, with passion, knowledge, care, and commitment.
“Strand has historically been about movement and transport. Now it’s a democratic, biodiverse space for everyone to enjoy with seating for up to 700 people, described as the best thing to happen to London in years. The fact that it is the first time a pedestrianised space has been awarded Green Flag status is fantastic recognition of Strand’s contribution to making London a healthier, calmer, and better place to be. Hopefully, this will embolden other towns and cities to reclaim streets for communities and for nature to thrive.”