Lammas Park Drainage Scheme Hailed as 'New Wetlands'
Councillor says fencing around project set to be removed soon
One of the basins close to a children's playground
January 29, 2026
An Ealing councillor has said the Lammas Park landscaping and drainage works are about to deliver ‘new wetlands’ in a video offering a ‘sneak peak’ at the project.
Major landscaping and drainage works in Lammas Park are now entering their final phase, with Cllr Paul Driscoll indicating that the fencing around the Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) basins is expected to be removed this spring. The project, designed to reduce flooding in the surrounding streets and improve the park’s long-term resilience to heavy rainfall, has been one of the most significant pieces of environmental infrastructure installed in the borough in recent years.
According to the council, the scheme will help divert and store excess water during storms, reduce surface flooding, and create new planting areas capable of absorbing unpredictable downpours. The project also includes the creation of a wetland-style habitat, which the council says will support wildlife and increase biodiversity in the park.
Councillor Paul Driscoll hailed the environmental benefits of the new wetland areas. He said the SuDS project would not only protect nearby homes and roads from flooding but also create a more natural landscape within the park.
The video also featured support from Jeanie, a local resident and dog-ownker, who said she preferred wilder, more natural areas to formal parkland and welcomed the ecological improvements.
However, some residents remain uneasy about the direction of the project and the safety of the site once the fencing is removed. They argue that the original purpose of the scheme was presented as a drainage intervention rather than the creation of a wetland, and they feel the narrative has shifted without sufficient explanation.
Several residents have raised concerns about the depth of the basins, the steepness of the surrounding slopes, and the proximity of two of the pits to the children’s playground. They say the basins have filled with stagnant water and decaying vegetation before the drainage connections have been completed, and they worry that removing the fencing too soon could pose risks to children and dogs.
Opponents of scheme say the land is not draining due to compacted soil removed from the basins
Others have questioned whether the soil displaced during construction has been compacted so heavily that the surrounding ground now struggles to absorb rainwater, leaving parts of the field and nearby paths waterlogged for days after rainfall.
The council maintains that the basins will be safe for public access once the final engineering and landscaping work is complete, and that the wetland areas will be designed to meet required safety standards.
However, some residents say they would like clearer information about the final safety measures, the timing of the drainage connections, and how the council will ensure that the basins do not pose a hazard once opened.
As the project approaches its final stages, Lammas Park is poised to look very different from the flat playing fields that preceded the works. Supporters see the scheme as a forward-looking response to climate change and a chance to bring new wildlife into the park. Critics worry that the execution has been flawed and that much of the area of the park will now be unusable.
We have asked the council to confirm the likely opening date and for a comment on the claims about compacted soil preventing proper drainage.
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