Wandsworth Council adds £1.35m to local improvements pot after unlocking overdue funds from developers

• Wandsworth Council has recovered £1.35 million of overdue levy payments
• developer funding is used for vital infrastructure and community improvements 
• funding will benefit residents as it is used for road and pavement repairs, better leisure facilities, libraries and playgrounds.

Simon Hogg, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said: “We welcome developers who want to build in Wandsworth while contributing to the local area for the benefit of local people. I’m delighted that our work to make sure developers pay their fair share towards vital community infrastructure is now showing real results for our residents.

“We’ll continue to enforce payments where property developers have attempted to evade their obligations, so we can commit that money to maintaining and improving our roads, schools and much-loved community facilities as part of our decade of renewal.”

The council collects funds known as the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) from developers as part of their planning commitments on a new building project in the borough. If contributions are missing or overdue, the council has been securing Liability Orders through the Magistrates’ Court to enforce payment.

Road improvements: developer contributions help pay for safer streets

Improvements and repairs

The funding is being used to improve community and transport infrastructure, including:

• improvements to local leisure centres, pitches and parks
• upgrading the boroughs CCTV network
• new pedestrian crossings, school streets and road safety measures
• repairs to roads and pavements.

CIL funding was also used to help pay for Wandsworth Bridge repair works and last year’s refurbishment of Tooting Lido and Tooting Athletics Track.

Last year, the council created one borough-wide ‘investment pot’ which allows funding for infrastructure to be used across the borough as a whole. This approach to delivering inclusive growth through infrastructure improvements ensures that all Wandsworth residents benefit from the opportunities that local investment brings.

Find out more about the borough-wide investment pot.

As part of these funding allocations, we have been listening to local community views and gathering feedback on where improvements can be paid for from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.