Raising Streatham Stream
The Raising Streatham Stream project will restore a long-buried seasonal stream on Hilly Four Acres, a field on the border of Streatham Common and Norwood Grove, which was historically part of the wider catchment area for the rivers Graveney and Wandle in south London.
The stream once marked the old parish boundary between Lambeth and Croydon, but was then diverted into an underground pipe called a culvert.
Once raised above ground, or daylighted, the shallow stream will curve between the two sites, creating meanders or bends that will support temporary ponds to help catch, store, and gradually release excess rainwater during storms.
The new stream will also help drain and direct the excess water from nearby pathways, making them easier to use and more accessible in the winter.
The impact of Raising Streatham Stream
The joint bid with community groups secured funding through the Mayor of London’s Green Roots Fund. The fund aims to help nature thrive in the city by giving London communities active ways to transform their local spaces.
The Raising Streatham Stream project will extend Lambeth’s only open accessible watercourse.
Where the watercourse used to be trapped in the pipe, opening and raising it above ground will improve drainage along the surrounding pathways by allowing rain to flow into the stream rather than pooling into puddles.
The stream and planting will create a new habitat to encourage wildlife. The shallow pools and meanders (curves in the stream) will provide homes for freshwater insects and amphibians and drinking water for wildlife such as birds, bats and other small mammals.
Introducing a small wetland to the area will also improve resilience during the summer, retaining water in the soil to support plant life and keep the area cooler during heatwaves.
The project partners
The Raising Streatham Stream project is a collaboration between Lambeth Council, Friends of Streatham Common, Streatham Common Cooperative Partnership and Norwood Grove Friends, with support from Croydon Council.
It is funded by:
- Mayor of London’s Green Roots Fund
- Thames21
- Friends of Streatham Common
Phases
Pre-funding
The funding bid application was jointly submitted to the Mayor of London's Greener Roots Fund in August.
We were awarded the funding in late November, with the funding agreement commencing from 1 January 2026.
