Management

The public areas of Regent's Park are managed by The Royal Parks, a government agency. The Crown Estate Paving Commission is responsible for managing certain aspects of the built environment of Regent's Park. The park lies within the boundaries of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, but those authorities have only peripheral input to the management of the park. The Crown Estate owns the freehold of Regent's Park.

Richmond, London

Richmond is an affluent town in south west London, England, and is part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.Historically part of Surrey, it is located 8.2 miles (13.2 km) west-southwest of Charing Cross.

The founding and naming of Richmond followed the Tudor building of Richmond Palace early in the 16th century. During this era the town and palace were particularly associated with Elizabeth I. During the 18th century Richmond Bridge was completed and many Georgian terraces were built, particularly around Richmond Green and on Richmond Hill. These remain well preserved and many now have listed building status. The opening of the railway station in 1846 was a significant event in the absorption of the town into a rapidly expanding London. Richmond was formerly part of the ancient parish of Kingston upon Thames in the county of Surrey and itbecame a municipal borough in 1890 that was enlarged in 1892 and 1933. It has formed part of Greater London since 1965.^[3]

Richmond is a much sought after residential location, and among the most wealthy areas in the United Kingdom. It is also a significant commercial and upmarket retail centre, and has a developed day and evening economy. The town is located on ameander of the River Thames, with a large number of parks and open spaces, including Richmond Park, and many protected conservation areas. Richmond is noted for its high quality of life, as well as its affluence, and has been assessed as one of the happiest places in which to live in the UK.

St. James's Park

Looking east from the Blue Bridge on St. James's Park Lake.

St. James's Park is a 23 hectares (57 acres) park in the City of Westminster, central London - the oldest of the Royal Parks of London. The park lies at the southernmost tip of the St James's area, which was named after a leper hospital dedicated to St. James the Less.

Geographical location

St. James's Park is bounded by Buckingham Palace to the west, The Mall and St. James's Palace to the North, Horse Guards to the east, and Birdcage Walk to the south.

The park has a small lake, St. James's Park Lake, with two islands, West Island, and Duck Island, which is named for the lake's collection of waterfowl. This includes a resident colony of pelicans, which has been a feature of the park since the first gift of the birds from a Russian ambassador in 1664. The Blue Bridge across the lake affords a view west towards Buckingham Palace framed by trees. Looking east the view includes the Swire fountain to the north of Duck Island and, past the lake, the grounds known Horse Guards Parade, with the Horse Guards building, the Old War Office building and Whitehall Court progressively behind. To the south of Duck Island is the Tiffany fountain situated on Pelican Rock and past the lake is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with the London Eye, the Shell Tower and The Shard progressively behind.

The park is the most easterly of a near-continuous chain of parks that also comprise (moving westward) Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The closest London Underground stations are St. James's Park, Victoria, and Westminster.

TASKS