A green space featuring new plants and seating has today [Friday 28th July] been opened by HS2 Ltd on the National Temperance Hospital site just off Hampstead Road in Camden. The new area will be available for community use during the period that HS2 works at Euston are temporarily paused. HS2’s station construction partner Mace Dragados joint venture has constructed the new space.
Following the Government’s decision to rephase the construction of the HS2 station at Euston earlier this year, HS2 Ltd has been working with the Euston Partnership and the local community to develop and deliver meanwhile uses for the HS2 sites in the Camden area. This is the first site to be opened to the community and it will be open in line with Camden Council’s parks and open spaces seasonal timetable.
The new space has timber seating made from hard wood, a turfed lawn and features plants including wildflowers, perennials and birch trees. The garden will be surrounded by mesh fencing with two gated entrances from the street. When this temporary space is no longer available, the trees and planting will be reused in other open spaces in the local area. Materials such and fences, concrete blocks and seating will also be re-used.
A community event was held on the morning of Friday 28th July to mark the opening of the space, and attendees were able to enjoy a ten-minute performance from the Akademi South Asian Dancers who are also performing at the ‘Developed by Drummond Street’ Festival taking place on the weekend of 29th and 30th July.
HS2 Ltd will also be holding a further drop-in event on Tuesday 8th August over lunchtime for the community to give their ideas on a name for the garden, on how the space can be used for cultural and community events in the future, and to gather feedback on locations of where the plants can be reused in the future.
Andy Swift, Project Client for Euston at HS2 Ltd, said:
“Since the Government announcement to rephase some aspects of the HS2 programme earlier this year we have been working through the Euston Partnership and with the local community to identify how we can adapt some areas of the HS2 site for community meanwhile use during the pause.
“The community have been clear that they want more accessible green spaces, and we are pleased to be able to deliver this and for it to be opened during the summer months. We will continue to work with the local community to bring to fruition further ideas for temporary uses of other spaces in the period where less work to construct HS2 is happening in Camden.”
A number of other sites in the area have been identified for meanwhile use including the outdoor space at the Maria Fidelis school and in Euston Square Gardens west which is currently used as a temporary taxi rank. Both these spaces will be available later in 2023 and we will be engaging with the local community shortly to develop and agree the future meanwhile use.
