Stockwell Community centre gets £2.5m go-ahead

A new £2.5million community centre for children and young people has been approved and is set to open in May 2021.

Lambeth council has signed off on the new project at Slade Gardens in Stockwell.

Lambeth is handing the site over to a charity set up by local residents, the Slade Gardens Community Play Association.

Councillor Andy Wilson, the council’s cabinet member for finance and performance, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the play association on this project which will expand and improve local services for our residents.

“We thank the local people for their commitment to this project.

“Tacking inequality, building stronger communities and giving children the best start in life are our top priorities.

“Giving control of this site and this project to the community, alongside extra funding, helps achieve these goals.”

The association will have control of the Slade Gardens Adventure Playground site on a 99-year lease.

Their aims include creating volunteering opportunities for adults and young people, running training opportunities for them, setting up a teenage parents’ job club and creating community meeting rooms.

Three beehives producing Slade Gardens Honey, polytunnel green housing and raised bed allotments will also be added to the site; and food grown will supply a new café.

Young people will get food growing training at the site and work experience in the café.

The project also aims to boost outdoor activity, reach out to local ethnic communities and help keep the surrounding park clean and attractive.

A café and food growing project will welcome young people from Divert, a
Metropolitan Police charity to help steer young people in the criminal justice system away from negative behaviour and onto constructive paths.

Robin Langton, Slade Gardens Community Play Association chairman, said: “I am delighted to see that the planning for this magnificent building is agreed.

“With Lambeth’s support we have the best change of securing the money we need for this project and realising our dream of keeping this marvellous children’s facility going alongside a state of the art new community centre which will serve all the local people here.”

The space will feature three flexible meeting or play spaces which could be combined into one large area for conferences or performances, upstairs offices, a new café and public toilets.