Greening the Grey: Transforming Hercules Road

Lambeth Council, together with WeAreWaterloo BID and the South Bank and Waterloo Neighbours Forum, is regenerating Hercules Road, Waterloo, to create up to 300m2 of new green space, trees, cycle parking facilities and seating for the community.

The Challenge

In 2019, Hercules Road, Waterloo, received a traffic filter as part of Cycleway 5. This made part of the road only usable by cyclists, creating opportunities to reallocate road space to other purposes.

Hercules Road is home to a diverse range of rooted residential communities and businesses, including catering companies, charities, and a pottery studio. The road is named after ‘Hercules Hall’, which was built by and was the home of Philip Astley, the inventor of the modern circus. However, its most well-known resident was the poet and visionary artist William Blake. 

Feasibility studies have shown that Hercules Road has nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels that are 50% higher and particulate matter (PM2.5) levels that are 13% higher than the London average. PM2.5 refers to particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres, which is about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. This tiny size allows PM2.5 to penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, potentially causing health issues such as respiratory problems. NO2 is also known to contribute to breathing issues, including asthma, and both pollutants primarily come from internal combustion engines.

Additionally, the presence of redundant tarmac has led to increased heat retention. The average temperature on Hercules Road is 1.85°C higher than the rural average and 0.6°C higher than the overall London average.

This presented an opportunity to repurpose up to 300 m2 of carriageway space via depaving and planting, to improve air quality through plant filtration, and to reduce the urban heat island effect by retrofitting green infrastructure into the street.

Action Taken

In 2021, WeAreWaterloo were granted funding from GLA’s Grow Back Greener fund to design the project in collaboration with Lambeth Council, local businesses, residents, groups, and key stakeholders. This process resulted in a design prioritising the neighbourhood's needs, with over 80% of those surveyed supporting the project.

Project partners secured further funding from the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund and Cross River Partnership’s Healthy Streets Everyday II (HSE II) programme.

The Healthy Streets Everyday II initiative is a three-year programme that addresses overdependence on private vehicles. It aims to enhance air quality, safety, and well-being across six London boroughs and six Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).

The transformation has created five new green buildouts along Hercules Road, replacing the grey carriageway with nearly 300m² of lush plant beds, over a dozen new street trees, new cycle parking, and increased seating. These enhancements not only beautify the neighbourhood but also help absorb excess rainwater, reduce the risk of surface water flooding, and provide vital shade and respite for residents, workers, and visitors alike.

These changes will improve the environment, promote sustainable transport, and enhance residents’ and visitors’ experience.

The Results

The new green space was opened on 15 May 2025, with a launch event where local residents and stakeholders were invited to explore the new cycling facilities and outdoor seating, participate in a pottery workshop led by neighbouring business Mud Gang pottery studio and complimentary refreshments served by Eden Caterers.

The newly created area of green space contains a range of low-level planting, which WeAreWaterloo’s Urban Gardener planted and maintained through their Rooted volunteer programme. The planting is designed to be pollinator-friendly, drought-resistant, and with seasonal interest throughout the year, and wildflower verges add to the lushness. More than 15 new trees, including multi-stem trees, were planted in the four new beds.

This newly created garden on Hercules Road allows passers-by to slow down, enjoy the plants, and watch the world go by. Generous seating and bike parking further contribute to the welcoming space. The project is a testimony to what can be achieved if a Council, local residents, and local business organisations work together.

The BID led the early development of the scheme, supported by the Council. They also ensured early engagement with local residents on this grassroots project. When the Council took over the design and worked towards implementation, as it owned the road, the Council, the BID, and the local neighbourhood forum contributed £50K each towards implementation.

Post-implementation, the BID has taken stewardship of the scheme, ensuring it receives a high level of maintenance. The BID also worked with local residential communities to erect information signage of the scheme and local history, further activating the area.

Learnings from Lambeth Council

Opportunities:

• As it was a grassroots scheme, there was a lot of local energy, passion and buy-in that could be used to drive the project forward.
• Having a local organisation sign up as caretaker of the scheme reduced complexity for the Council concerning future maintenance and costs.
• Working with and through local organisations ensured we reached residents and businesses in the local area.

Challenges:

• The project was initially tied to an S106 contribution from a local developer. As this development did not come forward, the project was in jeopardy.
• Even with GPR surveys done, several changes had to be made to the buildouts as greening could not be supported, or tree locations had to be revised.
• The project used multiple contractors, i.e. a civils contractor, a seating contractor, and a landscape gardener. These works need to be coordinated to ensure that the site does not become dormant.

Lessons learnt:

• Establish early in the process if SuDS are needed or not, as this will impact designs and construction costs.
• Celebrate the works with local partners. Information signs, opening event and award submissions.
• Ensure that funding is secured, rather than reliant on future S106 funding. 

Learnings from WeAreWaterloo

Opportunities:

• Organisations like WeAreWaterloo can be a vital bridge between the council and local communities, bringing local knowledge, networks, and resources to initiate a partnership project like the transformation of Hercules Road.

Challenges:

• The success of projects like this relies on ongoing maintenance post-completion, which needs to be considered from the outset. In the case of the transformation of Hercules Road, WeAreWaterloo is well placed to provide the ongoing gardening care that the space requires.      

Lessons learnt:

• Partnership working done well really works and delivers results for the community, the environment and the local economy.

Rezina Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport and Clean Air, Lambeth Council

WeAreWaterloo CEO Kate Poulter

Giles Goddard, Vicar of St John’s Church Waterloo