New Change Gardens

Sustainable drainage design, flood risk, site-wide external levels deign, pavement design
London

New Change Gardens transforms a once hard, inaccessible space into a fully accessible, biodiverse and climate-resilient public garden at the heart of the City. Through sensitive level design, SuDS-led surface water management and the creative reuse of heritage materials, the project showcases how small urban spaces can be reimagined to support people and nature alike.

Through the re-allocation of streetscape, the following benefits could be realised:

Reclaimed granite from the Thames Embankment reused as seating. A circular economy win that avoided new material extraction and eliminated foundation requirements
Permeable resin-bound paving improves infiltration, enhances cooling, and supports healthier growing conditions around existing trees
195,000 l – of surface water removed from the sewer system annually
Levels re-designed to provide step-free access from all directions
Design solutions were tailored to safeguard mature heritage trees and improve long-term root health
Salvaged London Plane timber used for bench backs. Further reducing embodied carbon into the new design

Our team supported the transformation of New Change Gardens, a once hard-edged and inaccessible space at the junction of Cheapside and New Change, into a welcoming, biodiverse and climate-resilient public garden overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral. As part of the City of London’s Climate Action Strategy and its “Cool Streets and Greening” initiative, this project forms a key early step in creating a network of resilient public spaces across the Square Mile.

The design had to respond sensitively to the site’s unique constraints, including two mature 60-year-old Beech trees, challenging surrounding levels, and the need to enhance visibility and safety while celebrating the site’s historic connection to C. Hoare & Co.’s “Golden Bottle” premises. By re-shaping levels and removing historic barriers, the space now provides fully accessible, step-free routes from all sides.

Circular seating: re-purposed granite from ‘Thames to Eternity’ project and salvaged London Plane timber backs.

Our surface water strategy avoided overwhelming the existing trees by replacing hard paving with permeable resin-bound surfacing, allowing gentle infiltration, passive irrigation, and healthier root environments. This approach disconnects the space from the combined sewer, reducing annual flows by more than 195,000 litres and strengthening local flood resilience.

Sustainability and circular economy principles sit at the heart of the scheme. Reclaimed granite stones from Bazalgette’s 1875 Thames Embankment wall were repurposed as seating, avoiding new material use and eliminating the need for foundations. Their London Plane timber backs were crafted from salvaged fallen street trees, while climate-resilient perennial planting reduces water use and long-term maintenance.

The revitalised New Change Gardens now offers a greener, safer, and more inclusive space that honours its heritage while looking firmly to the future. It demonstrates how even small urban spaces can be reimagined as vital components of a more resilient, biodiverse city where people and nature thrive together.