Bexley Council has submitted a £300,000 funding bid to the Greater London Authority’s Green Roots Fund to develop plans for the Erith Garden Pier Project, a scheme that would reimagine London’s longest pier as a green, inclusive, and community-focused destination.
Councillor Cafer Munur, cabinet member for place shaping at Bexley, said: “This project is a massive opportunity for transformational change, and it is only possible because of the strength of the partnerships behind it.
“By reimagining Erith Pier as an inclusive place the whole community can use, we will make this stretch of the Thames cleaner and healthier for wildlife, protect and enhance its biodiversity, and create a welcoming space that supports health and wellbeing for all.
“The community will be central to shaping the pier’s future, ensuring it is a sustainable resource that reflects local needs while celebrating the natural, cultural and historic importance of the Thames.”
The Erith Garden Pier Project has already attracted support from 17 partner organisations, including the Environment Agency, Thames Estuary Partnership, Port of London Authority, RNLI, and WM Morrisons.
The project aims to restore and enhance shoreline habitats, improve access, strengthen climate resilience through tree and shrub planting, and create new educational and research opportunities focused on the Thames’ ecology.
The council said the project would contribute to a healthier, more biodiverse river environment and deliver high-quality public space for residents and visitors.
The pier, which extends across mudflats into the Thames navigational channel, has attracted more than 4,000 visitors in a single day during past festivals and more recently during Erith Pride parades.
The council believes that with investment, the pier could become one of London’s most important riverside destinations.
The project forms part of Bexley’s wider regeneration efforts in Erith, an area identified as a priority for growth and renewal.
Recent improvements delivered through the Greater Erith programme include upgraded public spaces such as Riverside Gardens, a new square at the pier entrance, and a community space on Pier Road known as 68.
Councillor Munur said the pier project is “the next logical step” in the ongoing regeneration of the area.
The council’s vision for the pier includes restoring habitats to increase biodiversity, making the site safer and more accessible, and creating a space that encourages public engagement with the Thames.
If successful, the funding will support planning and development work over the next two years.
A decision on the Green Roots Fund bid is expected in November 2025.
Other partners backing the project include Thames21, Orbit, London South East Colleges, The Exchange, GCDA, Erith Town Partnership, Peabody, Bexley Public Health, Friends of Riverside Gardens, North West Kent Countryside Partnership, Cory Environmental, and Thamesmead’s Best Beaks.
The council said the project demonstrates a “broad coalition of public, private, voluntary and community partners” and reflects the scale of opportunity and ambition for the site.
