The idea to try to rescue and rewild the Lea Bridge Waterworks was first discussed at a Save Lea Marshes meeting in 2019. Save Lea Marshes called a public meeting and published this document.
Subsequently, Save Lea Marshes became one of the founding members of the East London Waterworks Park campaign, now a thriving local charity, which raised over half a million pounds towards buying the land for the community.
Here is Laurie Elks’ open letter to the consortium of developers that wishes to build a secure facility for children on the very plot of land East London Waterworks Park wants to transform into a park. Laurie is a veteran campaigner for the marshes who, in the early 1980s, opposed the demolition of buildings dating from the East London Waterworks Company era when Thames Water established the current depot.