Riverside renewal at Greenwich peninsula

Redevelopment of Greenwich peninsula in east London required repair or rene wal of over 2 km of the mostly steel sheet-piled frontage to the River Tham es and its extensive low-tide beaches. A range of options was examined to i mprove the river-edge environment, including cladding the existing wall in timber, reducing its height or removing it completely and replacing it with stepped terraces featuring aquatic and other planting. All were tried, res ulting in extensive lengths of ecological terraces complementing a new rive r walk along the physically stronger yet visually softer bank. The project is now being promoted as a model for future environmental improvements to t he Thames and other urban rivers.