Image: Lambeth.gov
Lambeth Labour’s much-vaunted Community Parklets scheme appears to be a complete and utter flop, answers to Freedom of Information requests by News From Crystal Palace have revealed.
Just THIRTY SEVEN applications to install the parklets – announced in a fanfare of publicity in March last year – have been made, say Lambeth. ONLY FIVE exist.
And there are two others which appear to have ‘vanished.’
Lambeth say the five which exist are at:
87 Hayter Road SW2*
Outside 55 Voltaire Road SW4*
Outside 92 Rattray Road London SW2*
Outside 74 Thorparch Road at the end of Goldsboro Road SW8*
On Kinfauns Road, outside the entrance to flat 92a Palace Road SW2*
But there’s NO mention in their response of the one in Valley Road, Streatham which was in collision with a 315 bus – or the one in Thirlmere Road close to Tooting Bec Common which was mapped as having one – along with the five listed above* – in a Lambeth council document Appendix A Parklet locations 
PDF 476 KB
In their FOI responses Lambeth also say there are also TWO business parklets in the borough – from the only TWO applications received – at 1883, 34-36 Old Town, SW4 and Koala, 64 Railton Road, SE24.
In April News From Crystal Palace reported: “There are six parklets in Lambeth borough with a total annual maintenance cost of £10,000 which are now being painted turquoise. “Six parklets at £10,000 – say just over £1,600 each.”
The Community Parklets Scheme aimed to establish 25 parklets across the borough – one in each electoral ward – to “make streets greener and more pleasant public spaces.”
Last September Lambeth council’s deputy leader Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, cabinet member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said: “Our parklet building programme is one of the biggest in London and we are delighted to invite new applications from residents who want to make real improvements to their neighbourhoods.
“We want to end the era of Lambeth’s streets being dominated by motor vehicle traffic or cars lining the kerbside and taking up space that could be used for more sustainable things.
“Parklets are a vital part of our vision for everyone in Lambeth to enjoy equal access to their local streets and the kerbside and will work with residents to make sure everyone can benefit from new public spaces.”
ODDR Community Fund parklets PDF 640 KB (Paragraph 3.2 states: ‘…there is a required annual maintenance budget of £10,000…’
Appendix E Parklet Design Catalogue PDF 7 MB
Further reading – all from Lambeth council’s official website:
Residents to design 25 new Community Parklets
April 24, 2023: Lambeth council will build 25 new community parklets in one of the largest programmes of its kind where residents are invited to apply.
Lambeth invites residents’ parklet designs
September 29, 2023: Lambeth council are opening the second round of applications for its ambitious parklet building programme.
Lambeth launches Businesses Parklets scheme
December 4, 2023: Lambeth council are inviting businesses to apply for their very own parklet.
Lambeth invites residents to become Parklet Keepers
May 20, 2024: Lambeth council are inviting all residents to take a leading role in making their neighbourhoods more pleasant and sustainable by becoming a Parklet Keeper.
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…and News From Crystal Palace stories on the issue:
- IT’S, IT’S THE KERBSIDE BLITZ! Lambeth plan to scrap TWENTY FIVE PER CENT of all the borough’s street car parking spaces – move will apply to EVERY road in the borough* January 13th 2023, this website
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NEWS FROM CRYSTAL PALACE 