Sketch of the week: High level park, Peckham

This week’s sketch is part of a proposal for a high level park in Peckham, south London. Nick Woodford came up with the idea when he was an architectural student and noticed “a mature birch tree growing out of what looked like the rail line”.

We are in discussions with Network Rail and Southwark council both of whom are keen to develop the idea further

Nick Woodford

The high level park, inspired by the New York High Line and backed by local resident group Peckham Vision, would follow the route of the historic Ricketts coal line, which was decommissioned in the 1950s.

If built it would provide a 900m long pedestrian and cycling elevated link between Peckham Rye station and Queens Road Peckham station and include an open section with views of London and a wooded section.

Woodford, now an architectural assistant at Knox Bhavan Architects, said: “We are in discussions with Network Rail and Southwark council both of whom are keen to develop the idea further”.

To find out more about the proposals go to peckhamcoalline.strikingly.com.