September 2013 to install signposting around the nature reserve to give visitors directions and information on local wildlife and history. The Nature Reserve has won the Green Flag Award several times from 2009. In 2020 Grove Park Nature Reserve and Railway Children Walk were temporarily closed several times for a number of weeks in March, June, August and November so UK Power Networks could complete works including drilling, to maintain the electricity supply network. The work took longer to complete than anticipated due to ground conditions, and the COVID-19 pandemic, but was finally completed in November 2020 and the grassland and pathway that had been effected was returned to its previous state. In September 2020, it was reported that one of the entry points to Railway Children Walk and Grove Park Nature Reserve was unlawfully closed and locked. It was reported that after Lewisham Council locked the gate temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stuart Oldroyd who was working 3242 Investments Ltd/Tilco, had locked the gate, to the private land behind the Ringway Community Centre with his own chain, blocking the route members of the public, including school children used to access the reserve, even though they had been told previously they had permission to use the land for access. Permission to build a trailer park on the land had been applied for but was refused in August 2020. The planning officers of Lewisham Council had issue with the proposal to erect larger buildings on the land and the plans to cut down a number of trees, as it would result in an urbanising visual impact and cause harm to the land, and would have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the site. Councillor Liam Curran, chair of Lewisham Council's sustainable development select committee, was reported as saying blocking the access route was “unlawful” and “shocking”. Some of the trees were reported to have been ringbarked around this time, which normally kills the tree, even though permission to remove any trees was denied. Future proposals There are proposals for future development of Grove Park Nature Reserve and surrounding green space. A group named Friends of Hope are planning to improve the area around the path near the secondary entrance from Hoser Avenue in the future. Grove Park Neighbourhood Forum has plans for the of open land, stretching , from the South Circular in the north, to past