Kingston receives £415,000 from the government for leveling up

Kingston council is part of a South London One Public Estate partnership that has been allocated £415,000 under the government’s One Public Estate (OPE) programme.

This aims to improve public service delivery and to maximise the potential of land and buildings owned by public sector organisations across the region.

The South London OPE grant is part of £4.45 million awarded to 16 local areas across the country which will support councils to work with central government and other public sector partners to unlock public sector land for an additional 3,000 new homes over the next 10 years, creating 4,500 jobs.

The local One Public Estate partnership which includes Kingston Council and NHS colleagues from across South London is also part of the government’s levelling – up plans aimed at boosting living standards, spreading opportunity and improving public services for all.

One of the main outcomes of the South London One Public Estate funding will be to support collaboration across public sector bodies in the region around their service delivery strategies and estate needs. This will include looking at how estate strategies can improve the health and well being of local people, reducing the health inequalities highlighted and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, working together to create quality employment opportunities and contributing to local net zero sustainability ambitions.

Cllr Andreas Kirsch, leader of Kingston Council said:

“The extra funds will help us to deliver better service outcomes for local people whilst securing new housing and jobs. We are already working with residents to bring forward the redevelopment of the Cambridge Road Estate, investing in the borough’s essential infrastructure to support our growing population and helping to provide our young people with the best start in life through effective early years support.”

Jo Farrar, chief executive of Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said:

“The NHS is delighted to work with local authority partners on this programme, to support development of new homes, and jobs for the people of south London, which we believe will, in time, lead to improvements in the health and wellbeing of our local population.”

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