Mayor of London increases funding to improve public spaces

The Mayor of London has invested £12.4 million to transform public spaces across the capital.

The funding will allow Londoners of all backgrounds a greater role in shaping how their city grows and delivering better public spaces to live, work and play.

The selected projects across the five boroughs will create open, connected and inclusive public spaces and high streets
Over the next three years the selected projects will yield new or improved public space nearly four times the size of Wembley football pitch.

Five projects to transform the public spaces and deliver environmental improvements in five boroughs have been awarded a share of £12.4 million from the Mayor of London’s Civic Partnership Programme (CPP).

Over the next three years the five projects in Brent, Redbridge, Hackney, Lewisham and Croydon will deliver up to 28,000 sqm of new or improved public space – nearly four times the size of Wembley football pitch – see 220 trees planted and provide green spaces for local communities and businesses. The aim of all the projects is to create open, connected and inclusive public spaces and high streets, work with underserved communities and strengthen London's climate resilience.

The CPP supports boroughs to deliver projects that create open, connected and inclusive public spaces, regenerate high streets, and partner with the communities they serve, particularly those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, disabled Londoners and younger and older Londoners.

The programme also works to give expert advice on capital funding to communities to build up the local stakeholders, as well as respond to the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis and the climate emergency in local areas. To date, 12 boroughs have received funding of £480,000 for projects to improve community halls and communal areas on estates, revamp pedestrian routes in and around high streets, regenerate sports grounds for children and young people and improve access to transport links and green spaces. 

The projects awarded the funding includes Ilford Arrival, which will see five interventions to better connect Ilford Town Centre with the Roding Valley. These include a bridge and pocket park to cross the River Roding; a pedestrian and cycling route that connects the area; a detailed design for the Ilford Western Gyratory and Island Garden Junction; the creation of an Urban Room as a space to engage young local people in city making processes; and rewilding the Ilford Golf Course. 

Another project receiving funding is Room for Rivers, A Place for People which has been given £2,486,000. It will support the transformation of the existing Riverdale Sculpture Park by creating a riverside public space that is safe and enjoyable and connected to active travel routes

Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service, Jules Pipe, said: “These projects aim to give Londoners of all backgrounds a greater role in shaping how their city grows and deliver better public spaces to live, work and play."