The park is handed by hundreds of individuals every single day, however is often fully empty
The park is on London’s Southbank (inventory picture) (Picture: Getty Pictures)
London boasts an abundance of beautiful parks and inexperienced areas, very best for a stroll or a peaceable lunchtime retreat. But one park, handed by hundreds of commuters every day, stays virtually solely abandoned. The modest park sits tucked away behind the Southbank Centre, created as a part of the Nineteen Nineties redevelopment of the previous Downstream Constructing of the Shell Centre into residential flats, now often known as the Whitehouse Residences.
Regardless of its distinguished and extremely seen location, the park stays largely empty. London blogger Ian Mansfield drew consideration to this curious scenario on X, previously Twitter, sharing images of the small gate and slim entrance to the park, alongside the caption: “Exercising my proper to enter the Whitehouse Backyard behind the Southbank which the house owners would somewhat you did not, however have to permit it as a planning situation.”
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Among the many images was a picture of a plaque positioned on the gate, which states: “Non-public entry is permitted to a part of the backyard by members of the general public every day between daybreak and nightfall.
“The house owners have the appropriate to exclude members of the general public within the occasion of unreasonable or unruly behaviour or an issue with safety. That is pursuant to an settlement with Lambeth Council beneath Part 106 of the City and Nation Planning Act 1990.”
Part 106 is a provision included in main planning purposes requiring builders to both ship explicit facilities reminiscent of parks or highway enhancements, or contribute funds to be spent regionally. Builders behind bigger initiatives may even be obliged to assemble services reminiscent of colleges and GP surgical procedures, studies MyLondon.
Explaining the circumstances on his web site IanVisits, Ian acknowledged: “It isn’t that the house owners go to quite a lot of effort to make it welcoming, with no seating, plenty of locked gates and warning notices that it is personal.”
He continued: “I say it is open to the general public, I’ve by no means seen anybody utilizing it, and as soon as I grew to become conscious that it is imagined to be open to the general public, checked a number of instances solely to see the gates locked every time.”
Pictures on Ian’s web site reveal a considerable paved area, that includes a number of massive, round areas lined with grass, and one containing what seems to be like a fountain, which wasn’t working throughout his go to. He famous the one accessible entrance is on the park’s north aspect.
Exercising my proper to enter the Whitehouse Backyard behind the Southbank which the house owners would somewhat you did not, however have to permit it as a planning situation. pic.twitter.com/4VfH1FClAd
— ianVisits (@ianvisits) April 30, 2026
Customers on X have been intrigued by the revelation. One commented: “It is a actually fascinating and helpful put up, thanks.”
One other responded: “Is it all the time locked and it’s a must to ask permission or one thing? By no means seen that spherical there’ll deffo must test it out subsequent time!”
Responding to the identical put up on Ian’s Instagram account, one individual remarked: “It isn’t particularly stunning, however essential that we train our proper to go to.” One other commented: “Wow they actually attempt exhausting to place you off!!”
A unique consumer noticed: “I usually surprise what the purpose is of that backyard. It is unattractive, and anyway the fences make it unimaginable to see in. It is such a wasted area.”
In the meantime, on Fb, one other individual shared: “I used to stay there and on my first day I regarded out on the backyard and noticed a unadorned man leaping round within the fountain. Great spot.”
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