The Park within Elephant Park

The Park is the centrepiece of Elephant Park, the landmark revitalisation of Elephant & Castle by Lendlease and Southwark Council, setting new benchmarks in urban living. The overall development aims to be net zero carbon in operation by 2025.

At two-acres, it’s an inclusive and sustainable community space featuring expansive lawns, colourful rain gardens, the landmark water playscape, Elephant Springs, and walkways nestled within naturalistic planting. Designed by Gillespies, the Park is a celebration of nature, offering everyone living or visiting the area unforgettable social and recreational experiences, and an opportunity to connect with nature. At the heart of the Park sits a unique water playscape, Elephant Springs - a rocky, water-world of fountains, waterfalls and sandy beaches. Created from 300 tons of Italian porphyry stone, chosen for its hard wearing and slip-resistant properties when wet, Elephant Springs is a fully accessible and tactile space designed to delight, challenge and excite children and adults alike. The Park is shaped around 27 retained, mature trees and a further 19 new trees, chosen for their suitability for conditions, resilience to climate change, and diversity of species to mitigate biosecurity issues and deliver ecological value. The incorporation of rain gardens helps to manage the rainwater falling on the site, infiltrating surface water runoff from paved areas into the underground aquifer rather than overburdening London’s sewer system. Pedestrian and cycle routes connect it to the surrounding areas of Southwark and the transport network, encouraging green, sustainable methods of travel to and from the area.