Mayor of London opens Springfield Park, London’s largest park since the 2012 Olympics

The Mayor led a special opening ceremony at the new park, which sits within Springfield Village, a vibrant new community built alongside Springfield University Hospital and developed in partnership with the NHS. He was joined by Wandsworth Council Leader Simon Hogg, Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, and local residents who helped shape the project over several years.

 

 

Designed to support health, wellbeing and biodiversity, Springfield Park includes a pavilion café, play areas, a trim trail, amphitheatre, informal sports areas, ponds and hundreds of new trees.

Commenting on the park opening, Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan said: “I am delighted to join the local community and pupils from my old primary school to open this incredible new park, which is the largest to be created in London since the 2012 Olympics.

“Springfield Park is a great new facility and a key part of the transformation at Springfield Hospital that is providing much-needed affordable homes and green spaces for local people.

“Access to nature and secure, affordable housing are vital foundations for good physical and mental health, helping Londoners to live well and enabling our communities to thrive.  It is a wonderful example of partners working together as we continue to build a fairer, greener and healthier London for everyone.”

Following speeches from local leaders and members of the community, the Mayor was joined by pupils from Fircroft Primary School in unveiling a commemorative plaque and planting the park’s 700th tree.

Simon Hogg, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said: "It was a real honour to join the Mayor of London in opening Springfield Park today, a historic moment for Wandsworth and for the people of Tooting. This beautiful new green space, the largest to open in London since the 2012 Olympics, will make a lasting difference to the lives of local people. It offers space to breathe, play, exercise, and connect with nature, right in the heart of our community.

"Wandsworth is proud to be one of London’s greenest boroughs, and Springfield Park is a fantastic addition to our extensive network of parks, commons and open spaces. We’re investing in even more high-quality play areas and green spaces this year as part of our Year of Play, because we know how vital they are for children, families, and everyone’s wellbeing."

Wandsworth is proud to host some of the best parks, commons and open spaces in London, with seven of our parks having a prestigious Green Flag award, recognising their high standards, biodiversity, and value to the community.

Our parks are also perfect for people looking to keep fit or move more, offering a range of opportunities for sport and physical activity. Last year, we launched Battersea parkrun in Battersea Park which has already attracted over 20,000 participants and is a course which has been run over 33,000 times, proving just how popular this is with local people.

In addition, lots of residents, especially children and young people, enjoy our green spaces to play. This year, as part of Wandsworth’s Year of Play, we are refurbishing or delivering 15 new play spaces across the borough, ensuring all children can access high-quality play close to home.

This recently included unveiling a brand-new, modern and inclusive playground at the much-loved Wandsworth Park, alongside the unveiling of new wildflower meadow boards inviting people to discover the park’s thriving wildlife.

We are also committed to supporting and maintaining the heritage of our parks. We recently supported and part-funded the creation of a new statue in Coronation Gardens in Southfields honouring the first professional female landscape designer in Britain, Fanny Wilkinson, and the restoration of the long-dormant 1904 water fountain, bringing it back to life as a centrepiece for the gardens.

See the full list of our cherished parks, commons and open spaces and discover the unique features that make them so special.

Springfield Park and Springfield Village 

Springfield Park is part of the brand-new community called Springfield Village that South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust has created around Springfield University Hospital.

Developed over a number of years together with partners, patients, carers and the wider community, the village and the new state-of-the-art facilities have replaced unused NHS land and derelict buildings across the estate. It has been designed to break down barriers, reduce the stigma around mental illness and open up the Springfield site for the benefit of the community.

The village is providing:

• The new £150m Trinity and Shaftesbury buildings (completed in late 2023) – providing first-class mental healthcare for South West London
• The Hospital Rooms art programme in Trinity and Shaftesbury, one of the largest art programmes ever undertaken in the NHS – creating warm, welcoming environments for patients and visitors
• A new public square, Chapel Square, with shops, cafés and a gym – amenities for everyone to use
• 1,288 new homes, an average of 33% of which are classed as affordable (development ongoing up to 2028) – providing new housing for the borough of Wandsworth and supporting local and national housing targets
• A new care home – supporting the wider community
• New bus routes – boosting transport links for patients and residents

The Springfield Park Community Fund

During the event, the Springfield Park Community Fund was launched, a small grants programme to help local groups bring Springfield Park to life through inclusive, community-driven projects that promote wellbeing, connection, and nature.

The fund provides a total of £75,000 a year for the next three years and local community groups can apply for a small grant (up to £5,000) to help bring exciting projects to Springfield Park.
  
Whether it’s gardening, fitness classes, cultural events, or creative workshops, the fund supports ideas that get people active, connected, and thriving.
  
Find out more at springfieldvillage.info