The roofs of some shops in Herne Hill. Actually, just a handful of the 30 roofs along Norwood Road and Railton Road, which The Urban Wild Project plans to plant with sedum over the next 3 years. The ambitious green roof project is the first of its kind from the organisation, which is run by  environmentalists Caroline Noble and Kati Obregon. They had to get support from shop owners and the freeholders who own the leases to get things off the ground, if you’ll pardon the pun.

These before and after shots give an inkling of how the area will look when complete – below right, you can just about make out the green roofs running alongside the railway tracks.
And here’s what sedum roofs look like up closer.

The organisation chose sedum because it’s low-maintenance – surviving dry conditions for one thing. Green roofs also provide habitats for bees, butterflies and beetles, improve air quality, provide extra insulation for buildings, increase the lifespan of roofs (this I did not know) and are great at absorbing rain water. According to local sustainability engineer Owen Davies – a supporter of the plans – that last point is increasingly important for Lambeth’s water network, because currently, the sewers are rather grimly at full capacity.

The Urban Wild Project’s first green roof is hoped to be installed in Herne Hill by the end of the year with more to follow as funding becomes available. If it works, it could be a great model for the rest of London.