'Hyde Park for East End' will host rare species

Details of a "Hyde Park for east London" have been unveiled.

The two-mile-long Lea River Park will include boating areas, walking and cycling routes and dozens of animal habitats to attract rare species.

The open space will connect the Olympic Park in the north of the Lower Lea Valley to the Thames in the south.

Six areas, each with a distinct character, will be linked by the Lea and a path called the "Fatwalk", wide enough to accommodate walkers and cyclists.

Work is set to begin on the Fatwalk within months, though the entire £100 million project, devised by the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation, will not be finished until 2015. Conservationists are hoping to attract species including herons, coots, moorhens, pike, perch and bream.

An "exotic wild" area will be created in Canning Town, where visitors can learn about the local flora and fauna.

At low tide exposed mud and shingle will provide a feeding ground for waders and waterfowl. Flyovers and bridges will offer shelter to bats, birds, insects and plantlife.

Some of the parkland will be on existing open space. Other areas will need major work, including the decommissioning of gas holders and arranging public access to private land.

Entirely new parks will be built in the Three Mills and Twelve Trees Crescent areas near Bromley-by-Bow and Leven Road, further south near the Aberfeldy estate and west of Canning Town.

It is also hoped the public will be allowed into buildings such as Joseph Bazalgette's Abbey Mills pumping station. Several bridges will be built across the Lea.

Peter Andrews, chief executive of the corporation, said: "This is a very ambitious project but east London is desperate for this kind of open space.

"There are some incredibly beautiful areas that are currently very hard to access. Ecology is key but also the well- being of local residents.

"It will also start giving something to local residents far ahead of the Olympics."