London Sees Annual Drop in Community Spaces with Brent Hit Hardest

 From Foundation for Future London LINK

By Amy Zamarripa Solis

• Freedom of Information requests from East London charity reveal disparities in community spaces available across London boroughs.
• Brent faced the highest number of local authority-run community space closures
• Boroughs like Barnet, Havering, Newham have seen more closures than openings

Research carried out by Foundation for Future London into local authority-run community spaces has revealed that closures are now outpacing new openings in some London boroughs, with 46 community spaces permanently shut down between 2018-2023, nearly 10 a year.

The research – obtained through Freedom of Information requests – revealed 1,758 spaces are currently open, with openings and closures varied between boroughs across London. Brent faced the highest number of closures at 13, while only opening four new spaces. Boroughs including Barnet, Havering, Newham, Hillingdon and Lewisham have also closed more spaces than opening new ones in the five years from 2018 to 2023.

The findings – as part of Foundation for Future London’s Empowering Safer Spaces campaign, run in partnership with local partner Westfield Stratford City – aim to understand young people’s perceptions of existing community spaces across London. The campaign will explore how safe and accessible community spaces across the capital truly are, bringing together government, businesses and academics to discuss the importance of these safe community spaces. Young people, with real lived experiences, will also be represented at the roundtable, meaning all voices will be represented.

The data also revealed that, between 2018 and 2023:

• Barnet and Havering both closed three spaces with just one new opening each
• Newham closed two spaces and opened zero
• Hillingdon and Lewisham both closed one space and opened zero each

Other areas lack community spaces completely – Ealing has the lowest total with just three open to residents. This is followed by Harrow, with only eight, and Lambeth and Haringey with nine.

Areas like Islington – with more than 223 community spaces – seem to have a higher focus on nurturing their community offerings.  Barking and Dagenham also stand out by creating 30 new spaces in the last five years – the highest among all boroughs queried. Tower Hamlets follows with the next highest at 20 newly opened spaces. Finally, while Greenwich closed four, it opened 10 new amenities, bringing its total to 183 spaces.

Foundation for Future London will launch its wider findings at a panel event in July, with support from partner Westfield Stratford City and hosted by University College London. The panel will focus on how London can be made a safe place for everyone, where all feel welcome and have access to equal opportunities.

Sarah Nelson, CEO at Foundation for Future London said:

“The growing lack of safe spaces and services across London is worrying . All young people deserve access to safe spaces to learn, play and grow within their local communities. While some boroughs have made strides in opening new amenities like parks or sports centres, others are falling behind – with closures outpacing openings.

“This trend is particularly worrisome. A lack of safe spaces affects the overall quality of life and developmental opportunities available to young residents. These findings reinforce the need for greater investment to develop and protect vital community spaces across London. Robust community facilities and accessible services and support to young people are integral to fostering equal access to vibrant and supportive environments.”

Alyson Hodkinson, Head of Sustainability UK, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said:

“The vitality of our community spaces is crucial, and the recent findings highlight a concerning trend: closures of such spaces are outpacing new openings in several boroughs, leaving gaps in places where young people can learn, play, and connect. At Westfield Stratford City, we recognise the significance of vibrant community hubs in fostering social cohesion and providing positive outlets for our youth. As an integral part of East London, we are committed to supporting the development of these spaces, ensuring they remain inclusive and inviting environments for all.”

For more information about Foundation for Future London and its Empowering Safer Spaces campaign, visit future.london/programme/empowering-safer-spaces-campaign/.