▁House , ▁Bull s ▁Cross ▁in ▁the ▁London ▁Bor ough ▁of ▁En field , ▁well ▁known ▁in ▁the ▁h ort icult ural ▁world ▁for ▁the ▁gard ens ▁developed ▁by ▁E . A . ▁Bow les ▁( 1 8 6 5 – 1 9 5 4 ) ▁ ▁and ▁still ▁fully ▁maintained ▁and ▁open ▁to ▁the ▁public . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁idea ▁for ▁a ▁regional ▁park ▁was ▁first ▁suggested ▁by ▁Sir ▁Patrick ▁Aber c rom bie ▁in ▁his ▁Gre ater ▁London ▁Plan ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁However , ▁the ▁plan ▁remained ▁d orm ant ▁till ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁when ▁Lou ▁Sh erman , ▁Mayor ▁of ▁H ack ney ▁took ▁up ▁the ▁challenge ▁to ▁reg ener ate ▁the ▁Le a ▁Valley . ▁He ▁persu aded ▁ 1 7 ▁other ▁local ▁authorities ▁to ▁support ▁him . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁the ▁C iv ic ▁Trust ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁make ▁an ▁app rais al ▁of ▁the ▁Valley ' s ▁resources , ▁their ▁report ▁was ▁positive . ▁A ▁bill ▁was ▁put ▁to ▁Parliament ▁to ▁establish ▁the ▁Lee ▁Valley ▁Regional ▁Park ▁Author ity . ▁Following ▁Royal ▁Ass ent ▁to ▁the ▁Lee ▁Valley ▁Regional ▁Park ▁Bill ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁the ▁Author ity ▁was ▁formally ▁constit uted ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁ ▁Govern ance ▁ ▁Lee ▁Valley ▁Regional ▁Park ▁Author ity ▁has ▁an ▁appointed ▁board ▁of ▁ 2 8 ▁members . ▁ 2 0 ▁of ▁those ▁are ▁from ▁rip arian ▁authorities ▁(