The council’s Big Shift Community Parklet Scheme is now asking for fresh applications for residents to establish their very own parklet in areas of Lambeth that need it most.
Parklets are a shared area of the kerbside that would normally be used by vehicle parking.
Instead, they can be transformed into a social space where residents can meet, create new green spaces, places to stop and rest and give them a say over how their streets are used.
The Big Shift Community Parklet Scheme was launched in 2023 to give every council area in Lambeth the chance to apply.
Applications are open to residents in the following wards: Oval, Clapham Common and Abbeville Road, Clapham East, Clapham Park, Gipsy Hill, Herne Hill and Loughborough Junction, Myatts Fields, Streatham St Leonard’s, Streatham Wells, Streatham Common and Vale, Streatham Hill East, Streatham Hill West and Thornton, Vauxhall, Waterloo and South Bank and West Dulwich.
Applicants are asked to speak to their neighbours to gain support and decide what sort of parklet their neighbourhood would benefit from. They can fill in a simple online form showing support for the parklet, before submitting it to the council for review.
Each application will be scored and those that are successful will be invited to choose from a catalogue of items to design their parklet. Every parklet is assigned a person who helps maintain the new space and can report repairs to the council.
WATCH: How a Big Shift Community Parklet is built.
Deputy leader Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, cabinet member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said: “Since launching the Big Shift Community Parklet scheme we have already seen neighbourhoods that have been transformed. Streets that were previously lined with parked cars now have a dedicated space for people to enjoy, whether it’s creating a community garden or a safe space for children to play.
“The council is committed to rebalancing our streets, so they are less dominated by vehicles and give ordinary people a much larger say in how they use or travel through their local area.
“Feedback from parklet keepers show these new spaces have a tremendously beneficial impact on peoples’ lives and I would encourage anyone interested to speak to their neighbours and see if they can drum up support for their very own community space.”
Applications open on March 3 and close on May 3.
For more information visit https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/streets-roads-transport/community-parklet-scheme
