Wildspace as it could look in the future

Wildspace is being created over 1,500 acres in Rainham Marshes, where 40,000 Thames Gateway homes are to be built.

Six years ago there was an Army firing range on the land, which still houses a landfill site, but �90m is to be spent over 20 years transforming the land.

There will be new walkways, a tram, a farm, cafe, study centres, adventure park, new roads, cycle and footpaths.

The area is owned by the RSPB, the London Borough of Havering, the Port of London Authority, Oldrealm Ltd and Cleanaway Ltd.

People haven't been able to get on the marshes for 100 years Sarah Cooper RSPB

The marshland is already home to migratory birds, water voles and short-eared owls among other wildlife and parts are open to the public.

But the plan is to open up the whole area, improving access and creating the biggest new green space for Londoners in more than 100 years.

Sarah Cooper, of the RSPB, told BBC London: "People haven't been able to get on the marshes for 100 years."

She added that from November an RSPB study centre would be opened which they hope will attract 100,000 people a year.

Some of the walkways are already in place

The Wildspace plans are seen as important to the Thames Gateway development's "sustainability" - creating an area people will want to live, work and relax in for generations.

The development will see 120,000 new homes across the whole 311 sq mile area by 2016.

Jim Sneddon, a London Thames Gateway Development Corporation director, said: "More than 100,000 residents living in the surrounding areas of Purfleet, Rainham, Havering and Thurrock will have immediate access to the park."