orm wood ▁Sc r ubs ▁in ▁west ▁London ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Army . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁local ▁Act ▁of ▁Parliament . ▁▁ 1 3 5 ▁acres ▁of ▁land ▁known ▁as ▁W orm wood ▁Sc r ubs ▁was ▁bought ▁by ▁the ▁War ▁Office ▁( now ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁to ▁" create ▁a ▁metropol itan ▁exer cis ing ▁ground ▁in ▁purs u ance ▁of ▁the ▁Military ▁Forces ▁Local isation ▁Act ▁ 1 8 7 2 " ▁ ▁The ▁purchase ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁a ▁sufficiently ▁large ▁area ▁of ▁land ▁was ▁us able ▁for ▁military ▁training ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁expand ing ▁London ▁metropol is . ▁ ▁Despite ▁military ▁ownership ▁which ▁continues ▁to ▁this ▁day , ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁Act ▁Parliament ▁placed ▁the ▁new ▁public - owned ▁land ▁of ▁W orm wood ▁Sc r ubs ▁in ▁the ▁care ▁of ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Board ▁of ▁Works ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁alongside ▁military ▁training , ▁the ▁land ▁could ▁be ▁given ▁over ▁to ▁" the ▁perpet ual ▁use ▁there of ▁by ▁the ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁the ▁metropol is ▁for ▁exercise ▁and ▁recre ation ". ▁ ▁This ▁gave ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Works ▁and ▁its ▁success ors ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁maintain ▁and ▁improve ▁the ▁land , ▁although ▁any ▁such ▁scheme ▁must ▁be ▁referred ▁to ▁the ▁War ▁Office ▁or ▁its ▁success ors ▁for ▁appro val . ▁If ▁appro val ▁can ▁not ▁be ▁agreed , ▁then ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁mechanism ▁in ▁the ▁Act ▁to ▁allow ▁both