Greener City Fund for London
In August 2017, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced his intention to make London the world's first National Park City, with the launch of a new Greener City Fund initiative to make the capital one of the world's greenest cities. The £9 million fund will create and improve green spaces, and encourage the planting of trees. Khan has proposed a target of making 50% of the city green by 2050.
The Greener City Fund is a grant programme that will support boroughs, local communities and environmental organisations, allowing for thousands more trees and other improvements to local parks and community green spaces. Khan also said he will protect the green belt by using planning regulations and incorporate more green roofs, green walls, rain gardens and wildlife habitats into new urban developments.
To begin with, the fund will award around £1m, with the following grants:
- Small grants - usually between £5,000 - £20,000.
- Medium grants between £20,000 - £50,000.
Larger grants will only be awarded to exceptional projects, and there will be further grants available in the future.
The grants open from August 2017 are:
- Community Tree Planting Grants – round one: Planting of thousands of trees in local parks.
- Community Green Spaces Grants – round one: Improving and increasing green space across London.
Applications for Community Tree Planting grants close on 29 September 2017. Projects should take place from November 2017 to February 2018.
Applications for Community Green Space grants close on 20 October 2017. Projects should take place from January - December 2018.
The grants are open to the following:
- Civil society organisations and community groups.
- Charities.
- Housing associations.
- Private landowners (who can manage public green space).
- Schools.
- Local authorities.
The announcement comes as the Mayor continues to take steps to target air pollution, with the plans to introduce an ultra low emission zone in 2019. For more information, see Ultra Low Emission Zone.
For more information about the fund and to find out how to apply for grants, see London.gov.uk.
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