Does Your Local Neighbourhood Need Investment?
The fifth round of the Wandsworth Local Fund is open for applications
A postcard view of Putney Park Lane in the early 1900's
Residents and community groups can apply for funding to improve their neighbourhoods as thefifth round of the Wandsworth Local Fund (WLF) is opened for applications.
Recent regeneration and building schemes have meant that millions of pounds have been raised to carry out the improvements in line with the priorities local people asked for, with an increase in income in all borough neighbourhoods in 2017. Applications for wave five funding are welcome until this wave of funding closes at the end of January 2018.
The Wandsworth Local Fund (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 to 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 and streetscape and lighting improvements in Culvert Road Alleyway. Improvements to the Swaby Gardens playground are almost complete.
The following schemes in Putney have been recommended for funding and will start over the coming months:
• 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
And elsewhere in the borough:
• 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.
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.”
Read the committee report and a full list of schemes.
Wandsworth residents can nominate new projects that could benefit their neighbourhood as long as it contributes to one of the following aims and meets the fund criteria:
· Make the area feel safer
· Improve parks, commons and riverside walks
· Repair roads and pavements
· Improve facilities for cyclists
· Create or improvement green spaces
These aims were identified as priorities by local people following public consultation.
Find out more at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/WLF
November 17, 2017