At the Clapham Common Management Advisory Committee (CCMAC) annual meeting on 2 February, Simon Millson, Chair of CCMAC, and Kevin Crook, Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods, at Lambeth Council, outlined new plans for Clapham Common and recapped the successes over the past few years.
Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Lambeth Council Cabinet lead for Sustainability, gave a presentation outlining the Council’s plans to tackle the climate emergency. Flo Eshalomi, local MP, also addressed the meeting praising the work of volunteers, the improvements made to Clapham Common, and underlining her commitment to supporting the work of Lambeth Council and CCMAC.
Lambeth Council and CCMAC work together to manage and run Clapham Common. Improvements are guided by measures that tackle climate change, improve mental and physical wellbeing, and encourage people to socialise enhancing community spirit and social cohesion.
Works are outlined in a ten-year management plan for Clapham Common drawn up in 2017.
New works since 2020 include –
- Renovated Bandstand
- New children’s playground by Windmill Drive
- New perimeter bollards along Windmill Drive
- Refurbished basketball courts
- Closure of a section of Windmill Drive
- Reconditioned “events” site
- New composting facility
- 30 new bins installed
- 70+ big bins cleaned and repaired
- Addition of 37 new light columns
- Wildflower havens and meadow
- New trees and shrubs
- 50 new bird and box boxes
- Removal of obsolete and out of date signs
- Two new cafes – Megans and Pear Tree Cafe
- New CCTV cameras
Planned improvements comprise –
- New platforms at Mount Pond
- Landscaped Windmill Drive
- New benches
- New cafe at the bowling green
- New wildflower meadow
- New bins
- New waterplay
- New paths
- Local nature reserve
- Refurbished changing rooms
- New cafe near Battersea Woods
Here’s an interview with the CCMAC Chair on the Instagram page of ‘Best of Clapham‘ outlining the plans with a walk across Clapham Common.
CCMAC will announce details of these initiatives once they are fully known. (A small caveat – success is dependent on many external factors not in the control of Lambeth Council and CCMAC. Delays and change of plans are possible.)
CCMAC is the umbrella community organisation representing the users of Clapham Common and comprises representatives from the community groups Friends of Clapham Common, Bandstand Beds and Clapham Society; three Lambeth Councillors; This is Clapham, Clapham’s business improvement district; and ten individuals who have been elected onto the Committee by a wider community of residents from both Lambeth and Wandsworth Boroughs