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The fifth round of the Wandsworth Local Fund is open for applications

The fifth round of the Wandsworth Local Fund is open for applications
Work to Swaby Gardens playground is almost complete

Residents and community groups can apply for funding to improve their neighbourhoods as the fifth round of the Wandsworth Local Fund (WLF) is now open for applications.

The WLF is a charge the council makes on developers which is used to provide infrastructure for the local area, such as safer roads or improvements to parks. Residents are encouraged to bring ideas for neighbourhood improvements to their ward councillors who can then submit schemes to be considered for funding

The Wandsworth Local Fund is also known as the neighbourhood element of the Community Infrastructure Levy (Neighbourhood CIL). CIL is mostly spent on borough-wide, ‘strategic’ projects, but 15 per cent is earmarked for projects which take into account the views of people living in the neighbourhood where new development has been built.

The amount available will vary between different neighbourhoods depending on the amount of development taking place.

So far around £11m has been raised for local neighbourhoods in this way and several projects have gone ahead as a result, including resurfacing roads and pavements in Putney Vale, improvements to the playgrounds in Leader’s Gardens, Upper Tooting Park and King George’s Park, improving and floodlighting the tennis courts in King George’s Park as well as streetscape and lighting improvements in Culvert Road Alleyway. Improvements to the Swaby Gardens playground are almost complete.

The following schemes have been recommended for funding and will start over the coming months:


• Improvements to Lavender Hill
• Improvements to playgrounds including St Mark’s and Chivalry Road on Wandsworth Common and Windmill Gardens
• The refurbishment of Fred Wells Gardens in Battersea
• Improvements to Battersea Park
• An upgrade of the public realm in Southfields
• Renovation work at Battersea Arts Centre
• The refurbishment of the safety surface and play equipment in Garrett Park
• Streetscape improvements in Aslett Enclave
• Repaving and resurfacing Lydden Twilley
• Work being carried out in partnership with the Wandle Valley Regional Park, Sustrans and Groundwork London to improve the Trewint and Summerley Street area, including rain gardens and new bridge railings.
• Improvement to the Dover House Road parade in Putney
• An upgrade of Putney Park Lane
• A new path and work to the trees in Leaders Gardens

In addition two major schemes that have been waiting for enough money to be raised will now go ahead following consultation with residents and Ward Councillors. Bedford Hill in Balham will get public realm and road safety improvements, and Bellevue Road in Wandsworth Common will also be improved.

Items in the ‘pipeline’ which will go ahead when funding becomes available include improvements to Garratt Lane and to the entrance to Lavender Gardens. Floodlighting of Wandsworth and Putney Bridges will go ahead next year subject to additional money being granted in February.

The council’s finance spokesman Cllr Guy Senior said, “The WLF means local people are telling us what is best for their neighbourhoods. Working closely alongside their local ward councillors, they can help shape the borough and ensure the millions of pounds being invested in our borough as regeneration work continues is resulting in improvements that are of real benefit to our residents.”


Find out more at wandsworth.gov.uk/WLF

November 17, 2017