The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has awarded nearly £30 million to projects which will boost local economies, improve the environment and bring people together in some of London’s most deprived communities.
The money has been awarded through the second round of the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund to 33 projects across the city – and will be delivered through the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP), the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for the capital.
The projects focus on supporting Londoners in areas with high levels of unemployment, youth violence and poor mental health, by supporting the creation of new jobs, investing in community assets and driving sustainable economic growth.
Nearly two-thirds of the funding will be invested in areas of London which rank in the top 20 per cent of the country’s most deprived wards, according to the well-established Indices of Multiple Deprivation.
The Good Growth Fund supports regeneration schemes which help Londoners influence how their local areas are shaped. Successful projects in this funding round include:
- delivering up to 20,000 sq m of much-needed new industrial space in Barking to support local jobs;
- creating new and refurbished performance, rehearsal, learning and play spaces at the Polka Children’s Theatre in Wimbledon, to support community outreach and creative learning opportunities for disadvantaged children and hard-to-reach families; and
- investing in Centre 404 to provide much-needed support and services for people with learning disabilities and carers from the LGBTQ+ communities in Islington, Camden, Haringey, Enfield and Hammersmith & Fulham.
In the first funding round earlier this year, the Mayor awarded £24 million to deliver 27 projects. In addition, a further 27 projects were awarded a share of £1.6 million to develop their proposals with a view to submitting a full funding bid in due course. This support helps us to build a balanced programme by addressing any gaps resulting from the open call process.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “These projects aim to give Londoners of all backgrounds the opportunity to be actively involved in shaping how their city grows and delivering more places to live, learn, work and play.
“I’m so impressed by the range of bids we received – this is testament to the creativity and ingenuity in London’s diverse communities.
“I’m committed to supporting ‘good growth’ by building a city where all Londoners have access to the same opportunities and I look forward to seeing all the positive impacts these projects will have in the future.”
LEAP Board Member, Alexandra Depledge MBE, said: “I have always believed that Londoners know what’s best for their communities and this is evidenced in the wide variety and depth of innovation on display in the projects backed by Round 2 of the Good Growth Fund. These investments are good growth in action.”
Sarah Preece, Executive Director, Mountview – which received £843,000 in round one of the Good Growth Fund – said: “The support from the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund means Mountview is able to open fantastic new performance and training facilities to Londoners, including artist hub spaces, studios and a welcoming box office space – as well as an enhanced public realm with new planting and seating and opening up access to Peckham Square, the Surrey Canal greenway and the green route to Burgess Park.
“These spaces help us to achieve our mission of providing affordable performance training for people of all ages as well as opening community spaces for hire and providing two brand new theatres. Generations to come will benefit from the access to culture, recreation and learning that this enables.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
A total of £29,753,323 has been awarded to 33 projects (in addition to £312,500 match-funded from the 2014-2020 European Social Fund programme), comprising:
- £5 million from the Mayor's Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) – the Mayor’s share of retained business rates income, which will be used to support the growth of London's local economies;
- a list of five reserve projects with a total funding request £5,283,379 (to be progressed if others are not taken forward); and
- development funding worth £220,000 for a further four projects.
A total of 161 applications for £125 million were received for this funding round.
Today the Mayor will also unveil the recipients of more than £11 million (including £4 million from the Mayor’s Good Growth Fund) as he names the capital’s first ever Creative Enterprise Zones – as part of a ground-breaking initiative to attract and support artists and creative businesses, as well as developing skills and jobs for local people.
About the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund
The Good Growth Fund is the Mayor of London’s biggest regeneration fund and is delivered through the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP). It was launched in June 2017 and will run until March 2021. It provides capital funding from sources including the Local Growth Fund and European Social Fund, as well as expert regeneration advice, design support and knowledge sharing opportunities.
For more information on the Good Growth Fund, see: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/regeneration/funding-opportunities/good-growth-fund-supporting-regeneration-london.
About the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP)
The London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP) is the local enterprise partnership for London. The LEAP brings entrepreneurs and business together with the Mayoralty and London Councils to identify strategic actions to support and lead economic growth and job creation in the capital.
For more information, see: https://lep.london/.
Case studies
Reimagining Everyday Spaces in South Norwood (Croydon) – £1,000,000
Building on intensive local engagement the project aims to regenerate South Norwood's high streets which suffer from high vacancy rates and decline through four workstreams. Making up a comprehensive programme to intensify the local economy and civic infrastructure, supporting creative and social enterprises, and establishing a strong identity for the area.
National Youth Theatre, Holloway Road (Islington) – £2,000,000
A radical upgrade by award-winning DSDHA Architects to National Youth Theatre’s Holloway Road building. A new production house for young people where more young Londoners from Islington and across the city can come to develop their skills, create new work together, and see great shows. A place dedicated to giving young people better chances in life. An organisation embedded in the borough’s creative networks so young people can develop their creative practice and progress into employment. A place to celebrate diversity, creativity and ambition.
Enhancing Toynbee Hall’s Spaces (Tower Hamlets) – £340,000
Toynbee Hall will be supported to create an enhanced centre for local advice and wellbeing. The new centre is designed to meet the needs of a diverse community in an area of intense growth and change in Tower Hamlets, with funds focussing on the community-led design and delivery of the adjacent public garden. Together these will form part of a vibrant campus including a restored historic building, arts hub and offices. It will transform basic spaces into valuable civic infrastructure, increasing engagement and improving the quality and range of advice and wellbeing support in a responsive, community-led programme supporting those from vulnerable groups. The project aims to support 2,000 participants including 450 volunteering opportunities.
Full list of successful projects