Swanley, the best town: Eco Champion of the UK Revealed
This quiet corner of Kent, sitting snugly between London’s commuter belt and open countryside, has just been named the “best town in the UK” for its green achievements at the VISA Let’s Celebrate Towns Awards. And it’s turning heads.
Out of 149 entries nationwide, Swanley took the crown. Beating the odds. Beating bigger places. And doing it all with a firm eye on sustainability.
“That’s obviously very important, but it’s also about dealing with the effects of climate change,” said Ryan Hayman, the town council’s chief executive.
It’s a huge moment for a town that was once a retreat for city doctors looking to escape the smog. Today, Swanley’s fresh air is back in the spotlight, and this time, it’s powered by solar panels and electric vans.
Back in 2020, the council laid down a bold ten-year strategy: become carbon neutral by 2030. Halfway in, and it’s not just talk. It’s an action.
More than 5,000 trees have gone into the ground. These aren’t just pretty to look at, they’re carbon sinks, biodiversity boosters, air purifiers. The lungs of the town.
Solar panels now power key buildings like the White Oak Leisure Centre, the Olympic, the Alexandra Suite, and even the Civic Centre. One of the more visible installations is at the soft play café in Swanley Park, a hotspot in more ways than one.
“We managed to secure the free solar panels in an agreement which reduced our electric costs by nearly half,” said Ryan. “And we retained the solar panels at the end of the agreement, and free of charge.”
It’s smart, forward-thinking strategy, especially in times when funding for green transitions can be hard to come by.
And there’s movement on the roads, too. Diesel council vehicles are slowly being phased out. Electric replacements are coming in, including a new single-panelled van, paid for with the £20,000 prize from the award itself.
“We don’t want to get rid of perfectly good vehicles for an EV just for the sake of it,” Ryan added. “But when that happens, we will replace them.”
Community support has played a huge role. Since 2001, the Swanley Wildlife and Nature Group, known locally as SWAN, has quietly nurtured a wild, yet walkable, space inside Swanley Park.
Volunteers plant, maintain, and protect an area buzzing with biodiversity.
“We keep it as wild as possible, but tidy for people to walk in,” said secretary Wendy Daly. “It’s a place where nature can really be left to thrive.”
Elsewhere, the town has become a key link in the Bee Motorway, a UK-wide initiative to give bees and pollinators a connected green route through urban sprawl.
In Swanley, places like West View nature park and Pinks Hill’s new flood prevention wildflower bund are crucial to that effort.
“The scheme is all about creating a bee highway, and Swanley wanted to ensure it was included,” said Ryan.
Still, challenges remain. Development pressure is mounting. Plans for a massive 2,500-home garden village at Pedham Place have sparked mixed feelings. Add to that several smaller housing projects, some of which sit near or on green belt land.
And the risk is clear: lose too much green, and you lose what makes Swanley special in the first place.
“It doesn’t mean that they don’t have a negative impact,” Ryan acknowledged. “So what is important is that any project… has a net positive gain on infrastructure improvements.”
It’s a careful balancing act. More homes mean more cars. Unless they’re electric, that’s more emissions.
That’s why Swanley is pushing for more EV charging stations, not just for today, but for tomorrow. The goal remains firm: net zero by 2030.
And they’re not starting from scratch. The town already holds three Green Flag Awards. Plus, it’s picked up four South and South East in Bloom awards, including Gold for Swanley Park.
“What we’ve done well in the last five years is creating new tangible improvements to the town,” said Ryan. “Now, we’re focusing on maintenance, and that helps with emissions and building efficiency too.”
The award has put Swanley firmly on the map, not just in Kent, but across the country.
“It is made greater still when you consider all the boroughs and districts that Swanley Town Council was pitted against,” Ryan said. “This award will help us go even further.”
Mayor Cllr Keith Michell agrees. “To be named best town in the UK for our environmental progress speaks volumes about the dedication of our community and staff,” he said. “From biodiversity to clean energy and resilience planning, we are proud to lead by example.”
So is Swanley the best town in the UK? According to its residents, its council, and a panel of national judges, yes, absolutely.
