London,
23
July
2012
|
23:00
Europe/London

Fifteen Green flags for Hackney

Hackney Council celebrated the award of two new Green Flags, which recognise the UK’s best green spaces.

National environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy awarded the prestigious flags to parks in Hackney, which brings the total in the borough to 15– among the highest in London. The new Green Flag parks are Hoxton Square, N1 and St John's Churchyard Gardens, E5 

These are in addition to the thirteen sites that have retained Green Flag status in 2011.

Cllr Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture said: “This is fantastic news for Hackney as yet again it demonstrates the quality of our parks and green spaces. Year on year the number of green flags in Hackney is increasing, and I’d like to congratulate staff and park users who do so much to make our parks amongst the best in London.”

Green Flags encourage a high level of environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence. To be eligible for an award, parks must also submit a five-year plan for continued maintenance and improvement.

Hackney has the highest proportion of open space of any inner London borough, ranging from the biggest concentration of football pitches at Hackney Marshes to Hoxton Square, a beautiful garden square that’s very popular in warm weather .

To find out more about Hackney’s award winning parks visit www.hackney.gov.uk/community-parks or: www.keepbritaintidy.org/greenflag 

Follow us at: www.twitter.com/hackneyartsleis or www.facebook.com/hackneyarts   

The full list of winning parks is:

Butterfield Green, N16
Cassland Road Gardens, E9
Clapton Pond, E5
Clapton Square, E5
Clissold Park, N16
De Beauvoir Square, N1
Hackney Downs, E5
Well Street Common, E9
Hackney Marshes, E9
Haggerston Park, E2 
Hoxton Square, N1 

 London Fields, E8
Shoreditch Park, N1
Springfield Park, E5  

St John's Churchyard Gardens, E5

NOTES TO EDITORS

Hackney has the largest expanse of green spaces in inner London. It has a total of 62 parks, gardens and open spaces totalling about 330 hectares, ranging from the largest concentration of football pitches in Europe at Hackney Marshes to the beautiful and historic settings of Springfield and Clissold Parks.