London Gets Floating Thames Park
London is unveiling its "first" floating park, a unique green space built directly on the Thames. The park features paths, gardens, and seating areas above the water as part of London's push to innovate urban public spaces.
- The project is part of a major regeneration of the Royal Docks in East London, with the floating park planned for the Royal Victoria Dock West. - In addition to green spaces and art installations, the development is slated to include a "floating wellness" area complete with a lido, sauna, and spa. - This initiative is a component of the Mayor of London's broader strategy to enhance the quality of and access to London's waterways. - The transformation of the 12-hectare water space is intended to increase the publicly accessible open space in the borough of Newham by five percent. - The project also includes plans for a new residential community featuring floating homes and residential moorings. - While public engagement is beginning in February and March 2026, the initial phases of construction are projected to start in 2030. - This is not London's first floating garden; a smaller community of interconnected barge gardens called Garden Barge Square has existed near Tower Bridge since the 1990s.
