Sadiq Khan has announced a £12.4million investment into five projects across the capital aimed at sprucing up high streets, creating new green spaces and improving walking and cycling links.
Funds have been awarded to schemes in Neasden, Ilford, Hoxton, Lewisham and Croydon as part of the mayor’s Civic Partnership Programme, which helps pay for “open, connected and inclusive public spaces”.
Over the next three years, the projects are expected to deliver up to 28,000sqm of new or improved public space - nearly four times the size of Wembley Stadium’s football pitch. It will also see a total of 220 trees planted.
In Neasden, some £3.1million is being invested to make the town centre safer and more accessible for pedestrians, with plans “to invest in green spaces” and to “realign and improve crossings at the eastern road junctions”, City Hall said. The scheme will also “refresh the high street to include a community training kitchen - engaging with young people and the local community”.
The project in Ilford, for which £3million has been awarded, will seek to better connect the town centre with Roding Valley, including through a new bridge over the River Roding, a new pocket park, and a new pedestrian and cycling route. It will also result in “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 Ilford Golf Course”.
Another £3million has been dedicated to the ‘Connecting Hoxton’ scheme, which aims “to significantly improve east-west connections across Hoxton as well as improving wellbeing, sense of belonging and reducing social isolation for local people”, following an extensive “co-design” process with the community.
In Lewisham, about £2.5million has been allocated to support the transformation of the existing Riverdale Sculpture Park. This will be achieved by improving the park’s walking and cycling routes, as well as “engaging with groups historically under-represented in shaping the town centre; and including tree and shrub planting and drainage solutions that provide an alternative to the direct channelling of surface water through networks of pipes and sewers to nearby watercourses”, the mayor’s team said.
Finally, £814,000 has been awarded to Croydon for a scheme aimed at bringing vacant shops back into use, planting more trees and improving lighting on the high street, as well as creating a “green wall space” and a new food growing garden.
Jules Pipe, Mr Khan’s deputy mayor for planning, regeneration and the fire service, 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.
“I’m so impressed by the quality of proposals we received – this is testament to the collaborative efforts of London boroughs who have shaped the strategies, as well as the creativity and ingenuity in London’s diverse communities.
“Sadiq and I are committed to growing partnerships like these as a way of empowering local communities and creating a city where all Londoners have access to the best opportunities. I look forward to seeing all the positive impacts these projects will have in the future as we build a fairer, greener, more prosperous London for everyone.”
