Londoners plan to create first new wild swimming ponds in 250 years

East London group hopes to raise enough money to turn concrete wasteland by River Lea into a 'brownfield rainforest' A concrete-covered, brownfield industrial storage site does not scream out wild swimming haven. But a community group is hoping to transform the east London plot - currently used by Thames Water - into what is believed to be the capital's first new wild swimming ponds since Hampstead Ponds were created in 1777. Under the proposed plans, residents want to buy the government-owned 5...