Final design plans for Crabtree Fields to be shown

Camden Council and landscape architects DSDHA are to unveil the final plans for a makeover of Crabtree Fields at an open air exhibition at the park this month.

“DSDHA have been working with Camden Council to take forward the sensitive (sic) restoration of Crabtree Fields. Over the summer, there have been a series of themed community engagement drop-in sessions to help develop proposals for the park. Following on from all previous sessions, we would like to share with you the final design for Crabtree Fields,” states the announcement from Camden Parks’ department.

“The exhibition will be an opportunity to learn more about the improvements to the park and how community engagement has influenced the designs. The final design material will also be shared on the Commonplace website following the exhibition on 14 September,” states the announcement.

Previous versions of the design by DSDHA over the summer have included felling various trees in the park and the removal of the central pergola and its climbing plants.

Crabtree Fields is the only public natural space in the neighbourhood with a thriving wildlife population of birds, bats and insects due to its habitat of dense shrubbery and tree canopy cover. The park is heavily used but poorly maintained.

In July 2023 residents complained that the park was filthy, some park users were abusive, threatening and playing loud music, and that hedges were not being trimmed. The residents wanted more police and warden patrols through the public space and better and more frequent maintenance.

However, they were told that there is no money to step up police and warden patrols or improve cleaning and garden maintenance at the park.

Camden parks department had also removed most of the children’s play equipment in October 2021.

Last summer Camden parks department announced that it would appoint landscape architects to redesign the public open space. Since then a number of “engagement” sessions have been held to shape the future of the park, with DSDHA organising three “community workshops” in May, June and July this year.

The redesign is supposed to be led by park users and how they want the open space to look. But the designs offered so far appear to be more in keeping with Camden Council’s desire to cut down on maintenance costs — something they appear to spend very little on already.

If given the go ahead the reconstruction of the park will start in late autumn or winter and be completed in early 2025.

Crabtree Fields final design exhibition, 9am to 11.30am Saturday 14 September 2024 at the public open space on the corner of Colville Place and Whitfield Street, Fitzrovia.