Wild Things columnist Eric Brown reveals a move to raise awareness of Crayford Marshes and head off any scheme for developing the wildlife-friendly, Thames-side site.

Marshland immortalised by Charles Dickens is disappearing fast along the River Thames. Dickens wrote of fog-shrouded and disease-ridden marshes alongside an open-sewer river. But when the Thames became cleaner, developers with great expectations realised its banks were potential prime building land for housing and industry. I recall watching birds on open marshland where Thamesmead's concrete and glass tower blocks now stand. One of my favourite wildlife sites beside Norman Road, Belvedere, now hosts a contender for first prize in an ugly warehouse competition. These are hard times for conservationists. Swanscombe Marshes has been haunted by the possibility of a Disney-style theme park plonked on its wildlife haven while Crossness Nature Reserve may lose six acres of nature-rich land to a decarbonisation plant planned by the Cory Group. Friends Groups stepped in to head off Swanscombe development for now and oppose Crossness building.

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Next in developers' sights could be Crayford Marshes, a 95-hectare oasis of hedges, ditches, scrub and neutral grassland which hosts lizards, white-letter hairstreak butterflies, harvest mouse, marsh frogs, water voles and scarce birds like corn bunting, skylark, barn owl, little owl plus unusual marshland plants.

Several years ago these marshes were saved from a Rail Freight Interchange proposal by local opposition but soon afterwards Berkeley Homes swooped to purchase the land. Friends of Crayford Marshes have launched an attempt to stop any development by raising awareness of the marshes' natural assets through its newly-published Crayford Marshes Vision report.

The report was prepared by campaigner Donna Zimmer who said: "The Vision clearly shows the value of the whole site to people and wildlife. Crayford Marshes is regionally important for nature conservation and should be protected for rare wildlife plus the health and enjoyment of Bexley residents."

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The Friends of Crayford Marshes consulted local people as well as wildlife charities who pledge support including Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Buglife, London Wildlife Trust, CPRE London the Countryside Charity, Thames 21 and Wildfowl & Wetland Trust.

Contained in the report are ideas on how to improve the marshes from 262 people polled by FoCM. Ultimately the Friends would like Crayford Marshes to be among a string of newly-created London parks with the title "Crayford Marshes Park."

Charles Dickens would surely have approved.

I would like to wish all readers a very happy Christmas, and a healthy, prosperous 2024.

  • To read the Vision, go to: Friends of Crayford Marshes Facebook or Twitter page.
  • To submit your reaction to the Crossness development by Cory, please email decarbonisation@corygroup.co.uk
  • See also "Save Crossness Reserve" website.