Mayor of London opens new riverside public space at Heathwall Quay
The Mayor of London has officially opened a new public space on the banks of the River Thames in Nine Elms, marking the latest milestone in the delivery of London’s super sewer project.
Heathwall Quay was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Tideway, the company delivering the project.
The new land, which is around a fifth of an acre in size, reconnects the Thames Path in the Nine Elms area, allowing users to reconnect with the Thames.
The Mayor was joined by Battersea MP Marsha de Cordova, London Assembly member Leonie Cooper, senior Tideway staff and other local representatives.
Located just downstream of Battersea Power Station, the new public space also features high-quality paving and seating, and offers views across the river and along the emerging Thames Path.
It also integrates key infrastructure built as part of the super sewer, which will intercept millions of tonnes of sewage pollution that would otherwise spill into the Thames.
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "The new Tideway Tunnel is not only transforming the health of the Thames but also opening our waterways for all Londoners to enjoy and be proud of, as we continue to build a greener, fairer London for everyone.
"It was a pleasure to officially open this brand-new public space, which reconnects the Thames Path in Nine Elms, providing Londoners with unbroken access to the river and nature in the heart of the city."
Tideway’s work at Heathwall Pumping Station involved intercepting two combined sewer overflows, which discharged more than 800,000 tonnes of storm sewage into the Thames in a typical year.
The opening comes as Tideway nears completion of the 25km super sewer, which will drastically reduce pollution in the tidal Thames and improve the river’s water quality for generations to come.
Roger Bailey, Tideway’s Chief Technical Officer, said: “Opening Heathwall Quay is yet another reminder of what this project is delivering – not just a cleaner, healthier River Thames, but iconic new public spaces for Londoners to enjoy.
“We’re proud that Tideway’s legacy will be both environmental and civic, with recreational spaces like this creating lasting value for generations.”
Heathwall Quay is one of seven Tideway sites across London where new areas of public realm is being delivered as part of the project.
It is the fourth riverside site to open to the public – following openings at Putney, Chelsea and Vauxhall.
Tideway began connecting the 25km super sewer to the existing network in 2024, and by February 2025, the system was fully connected and protecting the Thames from sewage pollution.
To date, the system has diverted 7,816,789 tonnes of storm sewage which would have historically spilled into the River Thames.