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Our History

Image gallery 2002 - 2010.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been involved over the years, to all our local community friends past, present & future. 

 

It’s hard to imagine but BCAG is over 20 years old! A group of residents in the local area got together to bring life back to what was an uncared for piece of land by the station with the vision to make it the centre of Brockley. That is what you can see today. 

 

We have achieved so much in the Brockley Cross area - a legacy we’re proud of, including:

1. Brockley Max: helping to launch the arts festival in 2003 – now a successful independent annual festival ran by Moira Tait.

2. Brockley Christmas Market: the first event launched in 2007, which continues today and has grown into a vibrant annual community event with over 70 stalls.

3. Brockley Station Community Gardens: which develop year on year thanks to a team of volunteers.

 

TIMELINE: 

  • 2000: BCAG was founded by a group of concerned residents who wanted to improve Brockley’s public realm through community-led initiatives

  • 2002-2004:  We commissioned the Brockley Cross Urban Design master planning initiative, which involved a major public engagement and consultation. This produced a report, design options and masterplan, which became the framework for future projects, campaigns and initiatives

  • 2003: We launched the Brockley Max Arts Festival (BMAX) now a successful independent annual festival

  • 2003: The group began to make an impact through local improvements, securing funding from Lewisham Council for the poem in steel letters on Shardeloes Road and our first community planting bed at Brockley Station

  • 2004: We proposed the creation of a community space on the derelict railway land between Coulgate Street and Brockley Station. Brockley Station Community Gardens (originally named Brockley Common) was born

  • 2005: Brockley Common Steering Group was set up, chaired by Joan Ruddock MP and attended by Brockley Ward Councillors, Lewisham Council, Rail Authorities & BCAG representatives. At the same time we developed a design for the community gardens and held a number of consultation events to get feedback from local residents. With Joan Ruddock’s leadership and strong community support it became a reality, once Network Rail (the owners of the land) agreed to the conversion of waste land into a garden. Once we had agreement and support from all parties things began to happen 

  • 2005: Funding secured to carry out the initial site clearance, the woodland planting which still exists today, plus a temporary meadow

  • 2006: Network Rail oversaw site clearance and demolition works, including the removal of old walls, fences, derelict shops and toilets on Coulgate Street

  • 2007: We organised the first Brockley Christmas Market which we continue to run 

  • 2008-2009: The design for Brockley Station Community Gardens received planning permission. Lewisham Council secured funding for the construction of new steps, retaining walls, path and the ramp you see today

  • 2010: Following preparatory work by a local social enterprise the group organised and oversaw a major community event over two weekends, planting over 1500 perennials & shrubs in two main beds. These works were funded by the Mayor’s Fund and local donations

  • 2010: Community gardening events took place to carry out more planting and maintenance of this special area

  • 2011: We worked with Lewisham Council to implement pedestrian friendly improvements around the Brockley Cross double roundabout system

  • 2012: New pedestrian paving, widened pavements & tree planting along Brockley Road

  • 2015: Following a long BCAG campaign Lewisham Council implemented an upgrade of Coulgate Street, with planning gain monies from Langtry Court development (between Coulgate Street & Foxberry Road) and funding from TFL. This created the more pedestrian friendly street you see today

  • 2018-2021: BCAG initiated the renovation of the main planting beds in the community gardens. To begin with employing Heleniums, a local gardening company to carry out selective clearance and weeding 

  • 2021: We planted a micro forest 

  • 2022 – to date: Removing bamboo, creation of the herb garden, raising beds for wheelchair access, Bug Hotel, new signage, volunteers continue to undertake further replanting of the beds

 

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