cut down a number of trees. There are proposals for future development of Grove Park Nature Reserve and surrounding green space. Grove Park Neighbourhood Forum has plans for the of open land, stretching , from the South Circular in the north, to past Elmstead Woods railway station in the south, including the nature reserve, to be turned into a new larger park. The land covered in the proposal covers, in addition to Grove Park Nature Reserve, Northbrook Park, Hither Green Cemetery, Railway Children Forest Garden, Chinbrook Meadows, Grove Park Cemetery, Sundridge Park Golf Course, Elmstead Woods and several other open areas. Planned development to Grove Park Nature Reserve includes increasing the number of paths that access the site from the outside, and constructing a lookout tower overlooking the railway line. The proposal was submitted to Lewisham Council in 2019 and may stop any new developments being built on the area. The aims of the proposal are to protect biodiversity of threatened species in the area, and to provide opportunities for outdoor learning, recreation and well-being. The new proposed park would follow the railway line, and suggested names include Grove Park Urban National Park, The Railway Children District Park and Railway Children Urban National Park taking the name from the Edith Nesbit novel, said to have been inspired by the location. Description Grove Park Nature Reserve is roughly long in a northwest to southeast direction, following the railway line, and around wide at the centre, but narrowing to at the northern end, giving it an area of about . The site is mostly woodland, with some shrubland, it is more open grassland on the western side, where the ground slopes down to meet an iron fence which separates the reserve from the railway line. The southern and eastern area of the reserve is more heavily covered in trees, the northern and western areas are more open grassland, with scattered trees and shrubs, the northern grassland and meadow area narrows to a thinner strip of land about one third the width of the woodland section at the site's centre. The reserve is free to enter and is open to the public all year round. At the southern end of the site, there is a small algae covered pond, which is home to frogs, newts and toads. Along the southern edge of the reserve, a small unnamed stream rises from a seep and