£16m facelift for London's parks

Neglected parks and open spaces in London are to be regenerated with a cash injection of £16 million.

The money is part of a Government plan to spend £89 million on public spaces in the next three years.

Councils have a month to bid for a share of the money by submitting plans for improvements or designs for new parks.

Twenty-seven schemes across nine English regions will be chosen in November, including at least three in London. Plans could include anything from adventure playgrounds and park wardens to improved lighting and sensory gardens for the blind.

Unlike earlier schemes, which have often resulted in expensive works falling back into dereliction through lack of maintenance, the project is designed to ensure that day-to-day management is improved before developments take place.

Yvette Cooper, regeneration minister, is citing one London park, Coram's Fields in Bloomsbury, as a beacon of excellence. It includes a zoo, adventure playground and fountains. No adult is allowed in unless accompanied by a child and staff are on the gate at all times.

Ms Cooper said: "We have a great tradition of city parks, town squares and village greens. But for too long our public spaces have been neglected. People want parks and public spaces that are clean, safe and green. We want to sponsor innovative projects to reclaim our parks and community spaces."

Elsa Davies, director of the National Playing Fields Association, said: "Hopefully, this will start to turn around the chronic lack of investment over the years. It is extremely important that in every community there is somewhere for people of all ages, but particularly children, to play."

Many London parks are blighted by dog mess, litter, vandalism and fly tipping while private playing fields are being snapped up by developers. In some cases, a space is allowed to degrade so its owners can get permission to develop - a practice called "speculative neglect".

More than 1,000 hectares of green space have been lost to London over the past 15 years. Across Britain, spending has shrunk by more than £100 million since 1990.