Trees and the Public Realm - Westminster City Council

Trees and the Public Realm (Draft) Appendix B - 21
11 Moderation The Government Precinct
Urban character and trees
This area is united more by the character of its land uses than a single developmental phase or architectural
form. Nonetheless that character, of the bureaucratic, ceremonial and royal heart of London does have a
significant impact on the management of its townscape with regard to trees.
This area is, in common with many other areas of pre-Victorian street plan, characterised by a hard treeless
streetscape, punctuated by occasional islands of planting, usually in public squares or private gardens.
Christchurch Gardensand Parliament Square are the two historic areas of significant tree planting in this
townscape area. These areas occupy a very small proportion of the total area.
Christchurch Gardens, a former churchyard, has a number of very fine large old London Plane trees, dating
from the original churchyard planting. The trees create a shady informal place which, despite its proximity to
busy Victoria Street, has a quiet, calm character. In addition to the mature trees in the garden some younger
planting, particularly a pleached (or trained) lime hedge, serves to reduce the impact of the twentieth century
buildings to the north.
Northumberland Avenue contains a significant avenue of Plane trees. Unlike the surrounding areas,
Northumberland Avenue is a late insertion to the historic street pattern of the area, carved through existing
buildings by the Board of Works in the 1870s. The planting is contemporary with the creation of Victoria
Embankment, and recalls Haussmann’s mid nineteenth century Parisian boulevards.
Trafalgar Square generally presents a hard urban appearance, which is mitigated by the interest of the other
aspects of townscape – fountains, sculpture and a variety of architectural form. The Plane trees here also
provide a degree of welcome contrast to the landscape even if their contribution to the original character of
the area may be debatable.
Parliament Square contains a number of trees. Whilst this is a large scale space, the potential for the trees to
obscure views of some of the most iconic buildings in London needs to be considered. Trees and greenery
welcome people to the seat of Government, but should be carefully managed to form a respectful foreground
to the magnificent architecture.
Further small enclaves of planting, such as Brewers Green and Richmond Terrace, form welcome pause
points within the townscape.
St James’s Park and the riverside also relieve the hard landscape by providing leafy backdrop to this
Townscape Area.
Planting principles
1. This Townscape Area is, in main part, hard and treeless. This is not to its
detriment, as the hard landscape is well designed and maintained. There is no
pressing need for further tree planting in this area.
2. There are few areas suitable for further street planting – planting on new
development sites within the area however would be welcomed