"Maximising value": The secret plan to make money from Hampstead Heath

Exclusive: Leaked documents reveal the City of London's plan to reduce public funding for some of the capital's most famous open spaces.

Welcome to London Centric. This week I spoke to media industry outlet Press Gazette about how we’re doing, and why it’s so important that London gets the media scrutiny it deserves — if you’re interested then you can listen to the podcast here or read some highlights from the chat.

Today is one of those members-only stories that is only possible thanks to your support, about a tranche of leaked documents we have obtained that reveal the City of London’s plans for some of the best-loved open spaces in the capital.

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Exclusive: Hampstead Heath faces deep funding cut amid push towards “income generation”.

The view from Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath towards the City of London. Credit: I Wei Huang / Shutterstock

Hampstead Heath could see an increase in commercial events and fees to use its facilities under secret plans put together by the City of London to rapidly increase “income generation” at one of the city’s most loved open spaces.

Leaked proposals obtained by London Centric, which could be implemented within weeks, will also impact 11,000 acres of historic and natural open spaces controlled by the ancient City of London including Epping Forest, Highgate Wood, and West Ham Park.

Map of public spaces controlled by the City of London. Illustration by Carly A-F commissioned by London Centric.

The documents warn the proposals could lead to the “managed decline” of the City’s open spaces if the new funding approach is not successful.

“Each park will be asked to generate the absolute maximum money it can make privately, short of just selling the land,” one person who has seen the plans told London Centric. “The mere fact that they tried to keep it secret and haven’t done a public consultation is a nod to the fact that they know it’s a bit legally dubious.”