Kingston Council and Network Rail win funding to kickstart transformation of Tolworth Station and surrounding area
A cross-borough partnership of six local authorities chaired by Kingston Council has been awarded £2 million of funding to ignite plans to transform a number of places across South West London.
The South London One Public Estate (OPE) Partnership, made up of Kingston, Merton, Sutton, Croydon, Richmond and Wandsworth councils, has been awarded the money from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) - made up of £460,000 of OPE funding and £1.6 million from the Land Release Fund (LRF).
The scheme includes £150,000 for Kingston Council and Network Rail to come together to kickstart the transformation of Tolworth Station into an ultra-modern, accessible transport hub with community and enterprise spaces. The plans will also focus on enabling the development of homes, jobs and community-driven green initiatives in the surrounding area.
Chief Executive of Kingston Council and Chair of the South West London OPE Partnership Board, Ian Thomas said the Tolworth Station project epitomised the ambitious vision for the borough.
“At Kingston Council we’re committed to rethinking and reshaping our local area in partnership with our communities to create opportunities for everyone to thrive.
“The aim of this project is to drive major station transformation, improving accessibility and passenger facilities to open up the station to the whole community. We will also look to identify how a number of schemes already being delivered around the station - including the Guinness Partnership housing redevelopment of 960 homes, Lidl HQ office development, the residential redevelopment of Tolworth Tower and SHEDx community projects - can be accelerated and enhanced.”
Kingston Council has worked closely with local voluntary sector organisation The Community Brain to develop the vision for the project. It brings together a range of partners, including South Western Railway, Transport for London, London Buses, Lidl, The Guinness Partnership and SHEDX. The project will enable development to allow the funding of passenger improvements at and around the station and drive wider benefits in the area - including new housing, increased employment, accessibility improvements and integrated transport opportunities.
Councillor Lorraine Dunstone, Chair of the South of the Borough Committee, said the funding is a vital boost for the area.
“An accessible and connected transport hub in Tolworth that serves the needs of the whole community will bring tremendous benefits and will open up opportunities for local people.
“This funding can be a catalyst to drive development of jobs, homes and community empowerment. It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity to harness the strong and active community involvement in the area for the benefit of everyone who lives and works here.”
The pandemic has had a big impact on commuter numbers. Robin Hutchinson, Director of The Community Brain said Covid has challenged us to think differently about the way we live and highlighted that many people now want a different balance in their life, resisting the everyday commute.
“This change in the profile of commuting, with lower passenger numbers, offers real opportunities for stations to be more than just places of arrival and departure. Can they be destinations in their own right offering community, start up and SME spaces, cultural and creative activities, learning and skills opportunities and be truly accessible to all?
“If railways powered the industrial revolution, could stations help power the 'post Covid' economy in a future that is more local, more mutual, more equitable and more sustainable?”
Paul Harwood, Network Rail Southern region’s director of investment said the project was a great example of public sector partnership working.
“We strive to put passengers and local residents at the centre of our approach to upgrading the railway. This project will investigate how improvements to the station, and it’s connections to the local area, can be delivered. We hope it will pave the way for transformational changes at Tolworth station, benefitting passengers, residents and those using the station spaces. This investment is excellent news for everyone including local businesses and the economy and is a fantastic example of the public sector working together to deliver better facilities for local people."
Watch Councillor Dunstone and Robin Hutchinson discuss what the project will mean for Tolworth: