Innovative WarrenFarmNR Rewilding Hub design concept
Warren Farm NR Rewilding Hub concept - designed by Lill Architects; Collage by Atelier Replica
Barn Owl in flight over WarrenFarmNR rewilded meadow, derelict buildings in the background. Photo credit: Richard Carter
We are in the exciting process for Warren Farm Nature Reserve and surrounding Brent River Park meadows receiving official Local Nature Reserve (LNR) designation. The sports pitches originally proposed for our rewilded 61 acre meadow now being relocated on neighbouring Imperial College land after a successful negotiation with Ealing Council. It’s happening - to the sound of singing Skylarks, hooting Owls, the gentle rustle of Grasses and Wildflowers and the buzzing of Bees and Beetles in flight! Wildlife has a home here.
With our green space in the process of being fully safeguarded, it is fair to raise the question some of our supporters have been asking us, what will become of our brownfield area and derelict buildings? The brownfield area on Warren Farm NR makes up just 6.5% of our overall rewilded site and is joined to a brownfield area on Imperial College land.
Everyone who visits this part knows the derelict buildings are dangerous, attract anti-social behaviour and that for safety reasons they do need to come down and yet, in amongst the dereliction, we still marvel at how nature has done what she does best. Mining Bees busy in the sandpits. Rue-leaved saxifrage breaking through the concrete. The rare spider discovery, Thanatus Striatus. Our first orchid, all discovered here. The concrete also creates warmth for heat-seeking reptiles, like our golden Slow Worms.
This small brownfield habitat has also had 15 years to rewild and supports an array of species, different from those that can be found in our main species-rich neutral and acid grassland meadow. With proposed sports pitches neighbouring our urban meadow we hear our supporters concern about any encroachment from light, air and noise pollution.
At the March 2024 cabinet meeting in which the plan for our new Local Nature Reserve was approved, Ealing Council leader Peter Mason said that he envisaged ‘a small pavilion with a nature classroom’ including maybe a café shared between Warren Farm Nature Reserve and the sports pitches on the Imperial College site. What might such a building look like?
When it comes to buildings of any size, nature is often the last thing to be taken into consideration, if at all, in their construction. But… what if we changed that?
Local architects and nature enthusiasts Ania and Peter Lill in response to their love of the wildlife on Warren Farm NR reached out to us with an inspired idea, having created an eco-friendly building design which could sit between our Local Nature Reserve and sports pitches, serving as both a small rewilding hub and potential pavilion or changing rooms, putting nature at the heart of the concept.
Warren Farm NR Rewilding Hub concept - designed by Lill Architects; Collage by Atelier Replica
It asks the question what if we even go a step further and look at the handful of amazing brownfield nature reserves for inspiration. Knepp Estates’ hugely imaginative and experimental rewilded garden is one relatable example, creating a greater diversity of habitats using tons of their own crushed building waste.
Lill Architects’ design also envisages making safe and repurposing some of the derelict buildings on Warren Farm NR as a brownfield nature reserve area. Suddenly the derelict buildings are no longer just a problem, but part of the solution to further increase biodiversity in a different way here. There are very few brownfield nature reserves in the UK and having one in Ealing would certainly put the borough on the map for progressive nature protection.
The ‘Warren Farm Nature Reserve - Rewilding Hub’ is envisioned to be a specialist, low-impact, environmentally friendly building for the community, schools, universities and environmental organisations.
It would provide a valuable nature-conscious space where educational, well-being, nature connection and artistic activities could be held for the care and enjoyment of Warren Farm Nature Reserve and the wider Brent River Park. It could become Ealing’s local educational rewilding hub and London’s expert-led rewilding centre of excellence.
The building concept has been designed with socially responsible principles that reflect the varied communities that would use it, including all ages, genders, backgrounds and abilities. If a small building is required, there is an opportunity here to do something truly meaningful and to create an eco-landmark for Ealing.
Warren Farm NR Rewilding Hub concept - designed by Lill Architects; Collage by Atelier Replica
“Warren Farm Nature Reserve has proven itself to be an exceptional green space at a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss. It was almost destroyed, in part, due to a lack of awareness and education gap. As Robert Macfarlane said, people can’t care about what they don’t know about. Vital habitats and vulnerable species across the UK are silently going extinct as you read this. Should a small build be required at all, having a shared educational community rewilding hub with changing rooms for example, and rewilded brownfield buffer zone between Warren Farm Nature Reserve and any proposed sports pitches on the neighbouring land, makes perfect ecological sense from both sides of the fence. Bats and Barn Owls don’t mix with floodlights, and sports players won’t want to be inadvertently harming wildlife. We are excited to be in the process of obtaining vital Local Nature Reserve designation together here with Ealing Council and we hope what’s happening at Warren Farm Nature Reserve inspires other councils to follow this lead.
We want to give a big thank you to Ania and Peter Lill of Lill Architects for their love of Warren Farm Nature Reserve that inspired this impressive design concept and to Agnieszka Kwiecien of Atelier Replica for this incredible artistic impression, showing what is possible if we choose to think outside the ‘concrete’ box.”
Katie Boyles, Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaign organiser
“Every plant and animal has just as much right to share their habitat with us as we do with them. The Warren Farm Nature Reserve Rewinding Hub project presented us with an opportunity to design a building that balances the needs of the community with the unique natural surroundings - a place that’s beneficial to all. We are so grateful to all the campaigners, supporters and Ealing Council members for this outcome, especially at a time when the natural environment needs all the help it can get, and young people can feel genuine hope for their future.“
Ania Lill, Lill Architects
Warren Farm Nature Reserve - Rewilding Hub, concept fly through
WarrenFarmNR Rewilding Hub Concept Document - please click on the image to read in full
Please put the kettle on, find a comfy spot and enjoy reading the ‘Warren Farm Nature Reserve - Rewilding Hub’ concept document in full detail here.
It is important to please note that this document serves as an ideas-only exercise, as no formal consultations or permissions have been sought for the current concept.
The intention is purely to invite you to visualise what a greener inclusive future is going to look like for the entirety of Warren Farm Nature Reserve and the potential value in a small, sustainable and eco-run rewilding hub. Together with a biodiverse mosaic brownfield habitat, that could provide a protective buffer zone between Warren Farm Nature Reserve meadow and any neighbouring sports pitches.
This innovative design provides inspiration and a glimpse of what else might be possible for Warren Farm Nature Reserve as a cherished local rewilding success story.
Warren Farm Nature Reserve is here because of you, our supporters. Thank you from our singing Skylarks and WarrenFarmNR team, to say we are forever grateful is an understatement. Local Nature Reserve designation incoming…
Team #WarrenFarmNR
To keep up to date please check back to our website, follow us on social media @WarrenFarmNR and sign-up to become a free member of the Brent River Park Charity.
Thank you!