The Meads Open Space

Designs will include flood storage and river restoration. 

Where is The Meads Open Space?

The Meads Open Space is in the London Borough of Barnet west of Mill Hill, it is the green space that follows the Burnt Oak Brook from Lyndhurst Park to (almost) Watling Park. Click here for link to Google Maps. 

What phase is the Meads and Lyndhurst Park in?

Designs finalised: This site has been shortlisted as a joint site with Lyndhurst Park.

A public consultation took place on March 15th 2025. This gave us the opportunity to talk to local residents again with some detailed designs for the green space which have been drawn up by our landscape architects.

The current designs can be seen here: The Meads and Lyndhurst Park Flood Alleviation Scheme engagement | Engage Barnet

Our proposed scheme includes:

• general landscaping including new low-lying mounds and meadow areas.

• adjusting the slopes of the channel banks in the Burnt Oak Brook to be safer and more stable, while increasing the storage of water in the Meads Open space.

• introducing natural flood management features to the channel such as landscaping mounds (small bunds) and wetland storage areas.

If you have any questions or comments please do email us on Silkstream@thames21.org.uk

Once plans have been finalised, work will begin in early 2026. All updates to timeframes will be published here.

To join the Whatsapp group for local residents please click here.

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Questions, comments & concerns	Response
Antisocial behaviour and fly tipping
Fly tipping and littering are regular activities in the area and local groups find it much more difficult to help clean the wetter areas. The deepest and least temporary of these should be the ones furthest from acessible roads and most walked routes	The detention basin is not designed in the same way as the Watling Park wetlands. This one will be shallower and designed to be a space for water to collect after a heavy rainfall event. Water will absorb into the ground and the area is likely to be dry more often than wet. It will be grassy and can be walked on for maintenance. Some of the planting has been replaced with wetland grasses to make litter picking easier.
There are not enough bins. Bins should be located regularly.	We plan to add 5 new bins and replacing broken dog bins, locations undecided. Community to be consulted on locations.
Will there be low level fences all around the perimeter adjacent to roads to prevent cars parking on the grass?	There will be boulders and knee rails in some areas (Gold Hill Rd corner)
There is no need for boulders or seating as this encourages ASB. Concentrate on the flooding rather than making a space to hang around in.	The number of boulders and logs has been reduced in the designs following community feedback.
Wetland basin
I am concerned about the areas designated as “detention basins”. I would like to think they could remain as usable space all year round, in dry times as well as floods, and I think this would be best served if they are grassed and easy to maintain.	The detention basin is not designed to be wet all year round. It is designed to be a space for water to collect after a heavy rainfall event. Water will absorb into the ground and the area is likely to be dry more often than wet. It will be grassy and can be walked on for maintenance.
I have lived in Crispin Road for years and the field has always been used by the children to play ball games. I’m confused by the need to create a wetland area. The path across the field to access Dryfield Road will be welcomed and encourage people to use it as aroute to the school and shops. The landforms seem to be placed near the wetland areas so will not be utilised and therefore a waste of resources.	Landforms will be made from spoil from the excavation of the wetlands. This is a cost effective way of creating a new feature from materials that are already on site. Wetlands are being created as a way to store flood water and are also a valuable eco system and environment for different plants and animals. There is a flat area for ball games along the stretch of The Meads between Gold Hill and Goldbeaters Grove .
Landscaping and vegetation
Although extra planting may look attractive on paper, in reality and in the context of The Meads I have to point out that it probably allows opportunity for littering and possibly for anti-social behaviour.	There will be some planting in the wetland area to increase biodiversity in the area. There will also be trees planted as part of the overall designs. We do not think that this planting will have a detrimental effect on ASB
Please can you remove chain link fences leading up to the school and replace with low level ones to open it up. All brambles to be removed, including those along the school fence.	The fence will not be removed as this is not within scope of this project
Please can we have more oak trees to replace those lost through disease in recent years?	10 more oak trees have now been added to the planting species list.
Play areas for children in the Meads area with forest swings and themed playground would be great for residents of the Meads and their kids	A playground is not part of the plans for The Meads. For various reasons, including budget, this cannot be included. A new playground in Watling Park will be completed this summer.
Other
Please provide a lockable shed for storage for Friends group if you want them to be involved.	Greenspaces have confirmed funding is available for a tool shed for the Friends of Watling Park. It is proposed that this can be also be used by the Friends of The Meads and Lyndhurst Park.
Has the drain/manhole in the grassed area close to the corner of Brook Walk been looked at? This leaks all kinds of unpleasantries when we have heavy rain and I would appreciate some advice on how to report this. I cannot imagine where this pipe goes to or from!	This has been reported to Thames Water pollution tracker. Please report any further incidents here.
Despite what I have been told, Barnet Parks might not be fully engaged in maintaining our space after the changes.	A maintenance plan will be written in collaboration with Barnet Parks team and shared with local residents. The green space will remain the responsibility of the Parks team.