George Osborne has given his seal of approval to Thomas Heatherwick’s Thames Garden Bridge project.
Thomas Heatherwick (right) in conversation with the Duke of York
The Chancellor said that the bridge would draw “visitors from across the globe” as he launched the fundraising campaign with £30 million. This is enough funding to see the project through the early procurement stages.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is providing £30 million in funding from Transport for London, and a further £30 million in funding has been pledged through private donations. This unique piece of green space over the Thames is estimated to cost £150 million.
Mr. Osborne stated that the proposed Garden Bridge will bring a “new kind of public space” to the centre of the city and that this unique feature would act as a showcase for the best in British design and engineering.
Mr. Osborne went on to say that the funds raised to date would encourage economic development on both sides of the river, as well as encourage more private donations to fund the project for the rest of the bridge itself.
Once constructed, the Garden Bridge will be the slowest way to cross the river in London. It will feature pathways between trees and shrubs, which will encourage the public to slow down and chat. The bridge will connect Temple and the South Bank.
The Mayor said that the garden bridge will be a stunning landmark for the city will also deliver what he described as “substantial practical benefits” for the city and a boost for both river banks. This boost would, of course, include a shot in the arm for riverside property values in the vicinity of the bridge.
Lord Mervyn Davies, the chairman of the Garden Bridge Trust, was pleased with the amount of the new funding. He said recently that the welcome contributions would play a significant role in bringing the vision to build the country’s first garden bridge into a reality.
British designer Heatherwick, was responsible for the Olympic Cauldron and has recently been signed up to work on New York’s Hudson Yards development. The project was originally proposed by actress Joanna Lumley.
