£260k for Bird in Bush Park

Southwark Council has released just over £260k for improvements to the pump track in Bird in Bush Park.

Bird in Bush Park is set to receive a major boost thanks to £260,800 of Section 106 (S106) funding released by Southwark Council.

The money will be used to improve the pump track – a bike track for younger / beginner BMX riders.

Peckham is world famous for its BMX culture and has produced some top athletes including Kye Whyte who won the silver medal for BMX at the Tokyo Games in 2020.

While the neighbourhood’s full-spec BMX track is located nearby in Burgess Park, Bird in Bush has been the place where Peckham’s BMX cyclists have traditionally got started. The improvements to this track will help attract the next generation into the sport, particularly those who are younger or more inexperienced.

The money comes from funding provided by local developers through their S106 agreements with the council, (agreed when a planning application is approved). These agreements are one of the ways in which the council can ensure that new developments and regeneration help to deliver social value for the local community.

The project will mainly focus on the fenced-in area surrounding the pump track, but some of the money could also be used to improve other parts of the park.

Following consultation with local residents, designs have already been drawn-up and landscape architects, Studio ONB and a specialist track designer/contractor are now working on the brief.

The funding was released at Planning Committee on 12 November 2024.