161 people have been involved over the past 2 weeks and we have gathered 114 pieces of feedback. We want to use this feedback to create Grosvenor Square Community Priorities, a list that we will use throughout this process to assess if the designs meet local requirements.

If you haven’t already, sign up to one of our upcoming events to share your feedback.

Click on each section to read about our:

• Five project themes to shape the Grosvenor Square Community Priorities
• Initial summary of priorities for Green in our cities
• Initial summary of priorities for Accessing the outdoors
• Upcoming events
• Next week's events on Spectacular horticulture and biodiversity
• Discovery packs with activities for our younger audience
• Ways of contacting us

Five project themes

The 5 project themes are based on what local people told us they were most interested in, as well as the areas of the design process where people can have the most influence:

• Green in our cities
• Accessing the outdoors
• Spectacular horticulture and biodiversity
• Healthy places
• Urban ecology

Over the last two weeks, we have held online events covering Green in our cities and Accessing the outdoors and you can read more about these and the feedback we received below. Priorities and feedback that came up under the other themes will be discussed in more detail in our upcoming events.

You can see the full programme here and sign up to events here.

Green in our cities

What are the ingredients and components to make Grosvenor Square a great green space?

In early May we began with a Big topic talk about Green in our cities, with an inspiring panel of speakers we talked about existing green spaces, what makes them great and how they relate to Grosvenor Square, you can see the full recording of the talk here.

This was followed by our first Local Conversation with the local community and the design team where we talked more specifically about what works and doesn't work in the square and opportunities for creating different qualities in the future designs.

Draft priorities:

• Primary function should be as an oasis of green not an event space
• Retain existing trees, keep shady areas to provide shelter and shade
• Keep an open space that allows you to feel you are stepping into nature, don't try to overfill the space
• Desire for opportunities to hear, see and touch water
• Create smaller spaces which allow for some sense of privacy or intimacy
• Allow for a range of places and ways to sit including benches, grass, mounds
• Reference and respect the history of the square

Accessing the outdoors

What should it feel like to arrive and move around Grosvenor Square?

In the past week we had our second Big topic talk on Accessing the outdoors with excellent speakers talking about how we navigate to and move around green spaces both on a London and neighbourhood level. If you missed it, you can see the full talk here.

We also held two Local conversations to discuss the edges, boundaries, entrances and movement around the square in more detail with the design team.

Draft priorities:

• Edges designed to shield from the outside world using nature
• Increasing the greenery at the edges to create a planted walking route around the outside
• Retain key cut through routes for pedestrians
• Rationalise some of the pedestrian crossing points to access the square
• Local traffic should still be able to move and flow easily around the square
• Accent and improve some entrances to the square
• Design routes relating to different areas of the square
• Avoid barriers that are too high or opaque and make it feel unsafe

We would love to know what you think about this emerging list of priorities. Do you agree? What would you take out or add? Please do have your say.

Upcoming events

There are still plenty of opportunities for you to get involved and have your say on the future of Grosvenor Square, book your place to Local conversations and Big topic talks for the upcoming themes in June here.

Spectacular horticulture and biodiversity

Next week in our online Big topic talk we will be discussing how we can create spaces that bloom, improve greenery and support biodiversity in Grosvenor Square.

We will be hearing from:

• Ed Ikin | Deputy Director of Wakehurst, RBG Kew
• Nigel Dunnett | Professor of Planting Design and Urban Horticulture, University of Sheffield
• Emily Morshuis | Project Lead, London Wildlife Trust
• Kabir Kaul | Young conservationist and wildlife writer

Register to attend | 26 May, 12:30 - 2pm

This will be followed by a Local conversation offered at two different time slots. These will provide an opportunity to talk with Nigel Dunnett and Tonkin Liu in more detail about your priorities for planting in Grosvenor Square.

Register to attend | 30 May, 11- 12:30pm or 2 June, 5 - 6:30pm

Discovery packs

Alongside our online activities, we have free discovery packs available full of fun activities to download for our younger audience and your inner child.

Get the latest discovery packs here and help us to collect and identify ideas for Grosvenor Square. Share your creations on social media with #discovergrosvsq or e-mail us at grosvenor.square@grosvenor.com.