Restoration and maintenance plans for Lower Crane Valley

We’ve recently launched our Lower Crane Valley Management Plan, which sets out an initial five-year programme for large-scale improvements to the biodiversity and community value of the Crane Valley in Richmond.

From 2024, the five-year plan aims to further develop the Lower Crane Valley in Richmond as an attractive leisure and environmental asset, through protecting and improving its mixed habitats, enhancing visitor experience, and encouraging educational and recreational use within the area. In addition, the programme preserves and builds upon the legacy of the people and natural environment of the River Crane for future generations.

The team has worked closely with local stakeholders and community groups, who are collectively embodied by the Crane Valley Partnership, to produce the plan. This includes Friends of the River Crane Environment, a volunteer organisation dedicated to improving local public spaces on the River Crane.

The Lower Crane Valley is a linked network of open spaces adjoining the River Crane within the boroughs of Richmond upon-Thames and Hounslow. Many of these spaces are of high environmental significance and valued for recreation. The Lower Crane Valley forms the lower reaches of the Crane Corridor, which is designated as a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation.

Find out more about Lower Crane Valley Management Plan.