A free wild swimming spot with a sandy beach could be coming to East London

The proposed wild swimming pools would be a massive win for East Londoners (Picture: Chloe Mann)

Margate might only be an hour and a half away on the train, but Londoners could be about to have access to a sandy beach right on their front door.

For over five years, the East London Water Works charity has been campaigning to turn the 14-acre Thames Water depot on Lea Bridge Road in Waltham Forest into a ‘community-owned, biodiverse park with wild swimming ponds and community spaces.’

With the overall goal to create a safe and inclusive haven – with nature at the forefront – part of the charity’s proposal involves constructing 3,000 square metres of naturally filtered swimming space, with a beach that could accommodate almost 100 people.

With the space for around 1,200 swimmers per day, this new dipping joint could easily become a hot spot in the Summer for East Londoners wanting to ditch their ballet flats, strip off their moustaches and escape the city heat.

East London Water Works is currently waiting on approval from Hackney Council before they can proceed.

I’d love something like this to exist for my kids

While the city is home to a number of popular lidos, many of which have undergone refurbishment over the past few years, all of these locations come with a cost.

Nathan Miller, a director of East London Water Works, spoke to MyLondon about the inspiration behind the plans, stating: ‘My first thought was that I’d love something like this to exist for my kids growing up and to have that locally for them.

The beach would sit in the park built on the industrial Thames Water depot (Picture: Save Lea Marshes/ Metro)

‘There are no free accessible swimming spaces, so providing that is what the community wants to experience. These kinds of projects let communities take back agency.’

Comprising solely of wild ponds, Nathan shared that the reason swimming would be free is because the area would be funded by creating more electricity on the site than needed, which could then be sold back to the grid.

The two pools, one which would be family-orientated and one that would be positioned further back from the sandy beach and would mirror a more immersive wild swimming concept, would be filled with rainwater — then filtered clean by 5,300 square metres of reed beds.

Alongside the wild pools, the proposed park would also include multiple meadows, pond dipping, a cafe, and numerous other community-based amenities.

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There would also be a forest school on site, as well as an art studio and science lab.

Abigail Woodman, director and chair of East London Waterworks Park, tells Metro: ‘We believe the park will unlock a chain of positive changes that culminate in the long-term transformation of people and place.

‘The site is Metropolitan Open Land and, as such, its only credible future is one involving minimal development and open public access for all, reconnecting the marshes and nature reserves of the Lower Lea Valley.’

It is important to make sure the park is not too secluded

One of the charity’s most notable chapters in this journey has been The Listening Project, where they’re interviewed over 100 participants from historically under-represented groups to find out what they’d like from the development.

Over the course of four years, the charity collected thoughts from groups such as: the African and Afro-Caribbean Community, disabled people, LGBTQI+ community, Muslim community, Orthodox Jewish community, people who have experienced financial exclusion, people who have experienced homelessness and addiction, parents with young children, and many more.

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A number of themes cropped up during these conversations. One of the biggest things was making sure they created a safe and inclusive park. An interesting element of this involved toying with the idea of having a designated park warden.

Certain groups raised concerns about a police presence, with one participant noting: ‘Police feel like intruders. They make me feel like the space is unsafe. They disturb and question nature.’

Safety for marginalised groups was also a big priority, with discussions around lights and good visibility, so that anyone who might want to visit the park at night could do so.

Well-lit areas are integral for community members to feel safe in the park (Picture: Getty Images)

East London Water Works is in the process of continuing to raise awareness for their project, with Green Party leader Zack Polanski showing his support for the ‘groundbreaking, community-led initiative that promises extensive environmental and social benefits.’

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