Assets

Wandsworth is a vibrant and well-connected borough, with many community assets, attractions and facilities that support and can be further utilised to improve healthy lives.

  • Wandsworth is the largest inner London Borough and has a growing population, currently estimated at 314,544 residents. The population of Wandsworth is much younger than both the London and England average. Nearly half of all people living in Wandsworth are aged between 25-44 years old. It has the highest proportion of people aged 30-34 years creating a young population ‘bulge’ which is unique nationally.[i]
  • The population is diverse, with over a quarter of the population having a nationality other than British. Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups make up 29% of the overall population and accounts for more than half the population of Tooting (52.7%).
  • Higher levels of education are associated with a wide range of positive outcomes including better health and wellbeing.
    • Examination results regularly exceed local and regional averages. 43% of schools in the borough are outstanding, which is double the proportion found nationally, and all special schools are either good or outstanding. [ii]
    • The borough also supports young people to develop a sense of place and promote teamwork with initiatives such as the Wandsworth/GLL Heritage Awards for schools[iii]
    • Two universities: University of Roehampton – which has the largest campus of the London universities and St George’s University – the UK’s only university dedicated to medical and health sciences education, training and research.
    • The borough has 47% of adults educated to degree level or above which is the second highest percentage in the country5
  • Wandsworth has the second highest employment rate in London (79%) and there are over 18,000 active businesses in the borough, providing 134,000 jobs.[iv]
  • Wandsworth council is working to improve existing areas of Wandsworth and approving plans for new developments aiming to better cultivate better housing, transport, leisure pursuits and business opportunities in the borough.3 This will be done through the creation of 20,000 new homes, of which 4,000 will be available through a range of low cost housing schemes, 24,000 new jobs, employment & business opportunities with major employers like Apple choosing to base themselves in the borough as increasing community facilities including education, retail, recreation and health. The development focused on Nine Elms, Winstanley and York Road and Alton estates.
  • The borough is extremely well connected with a wide variety of transport links including five tube stations, Mayor’s Bike Hire scheme, riverbus service and future developments with the Northern line extension and Crossrail.
    • Clapham Junction station, the busiest station in the UK by trains passing through it and number of passengers making interchanges.
    • 45% of Wandsworth residents of working age travel to work by public transport, which is the second highest proportion in country.[v] Active travel (e.g. walking, jogging, cycling) can be a simple way to add physical activity into your daily routine and 11% of Wandsworth residents of working age travel to work by foot or bicycle5, with the borough being the second highest for levels of regular cycling in London.[vi]
  • Green space promotes active living and provides important physical, psychological and social health benefits for individuals and the community. Publicly accessible parks (regional, metropolitan, district, local, small and pocket parks) make up almost a quarter (23%) of the total area of Wandsworth.[vii]
    • There are 32 public parks in the borough including Wandsworth common, Tooting Bec Common, Wandle valley and Battersea park
    • Biodiversity can increase the benefits that people enjoy from nature. There are 1,600 different species recorded within 27 different habitat types, with several rare and endangered species can be found in Wandsworth including peregrine falcons, black redstarts and stag beetles [viii]
  • With the borough’s good transport links, Wandsworth has a balance of proximity to central London but with more accessibility to open space.
  • Five bridges: Chelsea Bridge, Albert Bridge, Battersea Bridge, Wandsworth Bridge and Putney Bridge allow easy access between the south and north of the river as well as 5 miles ofThames river-frontage.
  • Culture and leisure has a positive impact on health and wellbeing of local communities. Wandsworth benefits from a range of events such as Get Active Wandsworth Festival, Wandsworth Arts Fringe and the feel good festival.
    • There are also many landmarks in the borough which can be enjoyed, including Battersea Power Station, London Heliport, Young’s Brewery and the Peace Pagoda.
    • Numerous parks, leisure centres, gyms, and sports facilities provide opportunities for active leisure, including Tooting Bec Lido and Battersea Park which is a green flag park – over a quarter of adult residents are members of a sports club.[ix] Battersea Park is also a venue for many events including Battersea Park Dog show, Foodstock, Live at the Bandstand and London Motor Show.
    • Vibrant town centres: Balham, Clapham Junction, Putney, Tooting, Wandsworth
    • Theatres: Battersea Arts Centre; Theatre 503; Putney Arts Theatre and Tara Arts Theatre
    • Eleven Libraries in the borough with a range of facilities
  • Wandsworth is the most popular borough for people moving to London from elsewhere in the UK.[x]
  • Wandsworth is the safest inner London borough[xi], in terms of rate of notifiable crimes[1] per head of the population. The borough also has the lowest rate of violence with injury and knife crime of the 12 inner London boroughs.
  • There is a wide range of Healthcare Assets in Wandsworth:
    • St Georges’s Hospital – large teaching trust which provides community services to residents of Wandsworth, local hospital services and specialist services.
    • GP surgeries – Forty two GP surgeries with a range of services including asthma care, contraceptive planning and advice, and management of long term conditions such as diabetes.
    • Pharmacies – a service where you can get expert knowledge on medicines, how they work and how you should use them as well as advice on minor aliments coughs, colds, aches and pains. Other health issues such as weight loss, giving up smoking and emergency contraception.
    • Dentists – There are a number of dental services in the borough.
    • Opticians – There are a number of opticians in the borough.
    • Care homes – There are 33 residential and nursing care homes in the borough.
  • Wandsworth has a thriving voluntary and community sector, which is working in partnership with the Council and CCG to deliver key services, with 35% of adults volunteering[xii] The Council and CCG promote grassroots development of the sector through programmes like the Voluntary Sector Forum and the Wandsworth Grant Fund.

[1] A notifiable crime is any confirmed criminal offence irrespective of severity (e.g. shoplifting, robbery, assault).

[i] ONS Mid-year population estimates 2015

[ii] Management Information –schools – as at 31st July 2017, Ofsted

[iii] Vauxhall, Nine Elms, Battersea Opportunity Area, Mayor of London, London Assembly

[iv] Number of active businesses 2015, London borough profiles, GLA

[v] Census 2011.

[vi] Walking and Cycling Statistics, Department for Transport, July 2016

[vii] London Datastore: Access to Public Open space and nature by ward, published by GiGL.

[viii] Enable Parks website, biodiversity

[ix] Health Assets Profile, Public Health England 2015/16

[x] ONS internal migration within UK

[xi] GLA Intelligence London Borough Profiles, 2016

[xii] GLA Intelligence, London Borough profiles, % adults that volunteer in past 12 months (2010/11 to 2012/13).