The Green Chain comprises a series of open spaces in various ownerships, which extends from Thamesmead southwards and westwards through the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Bexley, Bromley and Lewisham.
The London Borough of Greenwich first suggested the Green Chain in 1974. They developed the concept to protect open land within their Borough from development and invited the other Boroughs (mentioned above), together with the GLC and The Greater London and South East Sports Council, to join them and form an Officer Level Working Party whose purpose would be to develop joint policies to protect the open spaces encompassed by the Green Chain boundaries which they suggested.
This officer level working party was set up in 1975, comprising Planning Officers from the authorities, and has be in existence ever since. Shortly after this a Joint Committee of Members was set up. This is for the main part composed of the Chairmen or Vice-Chairmen of the constituent authorities Development Control and Recreation Committees. In the case of both the Working Party and the Joint Committee, the Greater London and South East Regional Sports Council are represented. It should be noted that prior to its demise, the GLC was also involved and in fact at officer level provided considerable input. The officer level Working Party meets at two monthly intervals and the Joint Committee twice a year.
The initial informal Policies adopted jointly by the constituent Authorities were published in The Green Chain Policy Document (1977). As almost all boroughs had no Local Plans to speak of, these policies were intended to act as a basis for the co-ordination of planning and recreational decisions and resources in the Green Chain Area pending the completion of a more detailed statutory local plan. At the time this document was published it was envisaged that a Joint Subject Plan would be prepared, in the event this was not the case.
During the preparation of the Policy Document, the Greater London Development Plan was approved. In consequence The Green Chain obtained some statutory significance, not under this title, but as part of a number open spaces in London allocated as Metropolitan Open Land.
Of the Boroughs involved at that time, Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich included the Green Chain as a specific allocation on the Proposals Maps of their respective Adopted Borough Local Plans, together with corresponding Policies in the Written Statements. Lewisham did not have a Statutory Local Plan. Strategic Guidance for London (Planning Guidance in force after the demise of the GLC and before the GLA was created) made specific reference to Green Chains and equates MOL with Green Belts in terms of the need to protect these areas from built development. In all cases policies relating to the Green Chain are being developed or carried forward in the respective UDPs, as are the designations. The Green Chain walk is shown on Bromley’s UDP Proposals Maps and the Proposals Maps of the other authorities concerned.
All planning applications are, whenever possible reported to the Green Chain Working Party and if it is considered necessary the Chairman, or Vice Chairman will lodge an objection on behalf of the Working Party. A similar procedure is followed with regard to UDPs and other planning documents. Where necessary, the Working Party provides witnesses for Public Inquiries or provides written evidence.
The most significant practical achievement of the Green Chain has been the Green Chain Walks. These extend the entire length of the Green Chain and since its inception links with footpath networks outside the Green Chain itself The London Loop; The Capital Ring and Waterlink Way, it also connects to the Public Rights of Way network in Bromley’s Green Belt at Chislehurst. These walks have proved very popular and successful.
A series of Chain Walk Leaflets which map the walks describe the routes and provide some background on the history of the areas through which the walks pass, these are also available through the Green Chain Web Site.
In most of the participating Boroughs, improvement schemes have been undertaken. The cost of materials in all cases has been met by the authority concerned, however, in most instances the labour has been provided by voluntary bodies or through nationally sponsored Government schemes.
A fund, to which Borough contribution, on the basis of its population and the proportion of the Green Chain lying within its boundaries, was set up at an early stage in the life of the Green Chain to provide monies for stationary, printing and signposting. The money from this fund does not go towards the cost of any improvement schemes.
Some years ago, a Green Chain Project Officer was appointed to handle the day to day running of the Green Chain, reporting to the Green Chain Working Party and Committee. This has taken much of the weight off planning and leisure service officers, who now act more as a Steering Group rather than a Working Party.
Last year it was agreed to extend the Green Chain into the London Borough of Southwark, and this borough is now represented on the Working Party and the Joint Committee.
