Swanscombe Marshes

Character Area Applies to...

  • Swanscombe Peninsula

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Garden of England

Swanscombe is not a part of the North Kent Plains and doesn’t have a strong relationship with the Garden of England. However, its marshes are an important productive landscape that can be connected to the heritage of hard working landscapes in Ebbsfleet. This heritage and ecosystem should be respected through the design of the public realm.

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Industrial Heritage

The industrial heritage of Swanscombe Peninsula is related to its former use as a part of the cement industry. Today, the industrial heritage and context is most easily visible in the skyline as the low lying marsh offers open views of wind turbines, Tilbury Docks, and other industrial landmarks.

Chalk

Chalk manifests itself on the Swanscombe peninsula through the visible chalk spine running underneath London Road. Remains of chalk filled timber sea defences can be seen along the River Thames. The presence of chalk has provided inspiration for the hard material and planting strategies that are outlined in chapters 5 and 6.

Water

Swanscombe peninsula has a strong relationship with the River Thames and key features of the landscape include mudflats and salt marshes. These landscapes are defined by their soft edges and flexible plant communities that accommodate the daily ebb and flow of the tide. This area’s relationship to the River Thames has informed the planting strategy in chapter 6.

Design Guidance:

  • The enhancement of open views and the public realm along the River Thames and low lying marshes to strengthen the local sense of place (see chapter 3)

  • The protection and enhancement of the existing mudflats, salt marshes and wetlands within the landscape character area (see chapter 3).

  • The integration of sustainable urban drainage systems to help mitigate the effect of new development on the River Thames and adjacent wetlands (see chapter 3).

  • The use of quarried chalks, chalky white concrete or local by-products such as flint within the material palette of the public realm (see chapter 5)

  • The integration of multi-functional productive landscapes into neighbourhood parks and city parks in line with local ecology of the site (see chapter 6).

  • The use of soft edges and flexible plant communities to accommodate the ebbs and flows of water within the landscape character area (see chapter 6).