London mayor awards 19 projects £4m to improve city’s climate resilience

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has injected £4m into the Green and Healthy Streets fund, with money designated for 19 projects building climate resilience and greening up public spaces.

Investment will go to projects building rain gardens and tree pits, which absorb surface water run-off to reduce flood risk, improve biodiversity and create more attractive environments.

Eleven London boroughs are set to receive £2.85m from the fund to develop green walking routes, with more investment going to help local areas build resistance to heatwaves and extreme weather events.

The announcement follows a new report by Vivid Economics, commissioned by the Greater London Authority, which found investment in such measures could generate £11.4m annually and, in terms of social value, could be offset in just three years.

Mr Khan, said: ‘The climate emergency is the biggest global threat we face today and its effects are on our doorstep. The flash flooding we experienced last year and the extreme heatwaves last month risk becoming more common as we deal with the impacts of the climate crisis.

‘This funding will help boroughs across London and TfL invest in projects that will improve climate resilience so we are more prepared to respond to and recover from extreme weather incidents, they will also make the local area greener and more pleasant to be in.

‘As Mayor I am determined to invest in more green spaces for all. We need to act now to adapt our city and build a better London for everyone – a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all.’

Funding is set to go to areas with the highest climate vulnerability and will deliver 10 new pocket parks and hundreds of street trees to provide shade, reduce flood risk and combat air pollution.

The Greening Bowes Primary Area Quieter Neighbourhood project in Enfield will benefit from the scheme, with plans to develop new green spaces, sustainable drainage and street trees. It’s thought this will improve safety of the school streets and encourage active travel.

Wayland Avenue Low Traffic Neighbourhood in Hackney will also receive a grant, as well as the Sutton Town Centre Greening & Flood Resilience Scheme.

£1m will be awarded to greening projects on the TfL Road Network, with plans for a rain garden at Joe Strummer pedestrian subway and entrance ramps and stairways with soil and vegetation.

Photo by Oliver Ash