Wandsworth Council’s decision to commercialise its parks for revenue directly contradicts expert guidance on protecting historic green spaces, according to a report [pdf] published this week by The Gardens Trust.
The national charity, which advises planning authorities on historic parks, warns that parks are “irreplaceable resources” that need conservation and proper investment to deliver billions in community benefits. The report states these spaces require “adequate funding and skilled teams” rather than being treated as money-making assets.
The timing raises questions. The Gardens Trust published its findings just three months after Wandsworth implemented its commercialisation policy despite public opposition. The council expects to make around £1 million a year from increased commercial use of parks including Battersea Park and Wandsworth Common. Yet The Gardens Trust’s research shows parks contribute £34.2 billion nationally in wellbeing benefits and save the NHS £111 million annually.
How the council’s policy works
Wandsworth’s new approach, approved in July 2025, expands what commercial activities can happen in the borough’s parks. The council says this will help pay for maintaining green spaces at a time when budgets are tight.
But the policy has sparked significant controversy. Friends of Tooting Common confronted cabinet members at a council meeting, arguing their concerns had been ignored during consultation. The group was particularly frustrated that Wandsworth Common received special protection limiting large events, while Tooting Common did not.
Local campaign groups say the consultation process was flawed. They claim the council went ahead with commercialization despite feedback showing residents wanted parks protected from increased commercial use. We documented how the “listening council” appeared not to have listened on this issue.
The policy changes affect several aspects of how parks can be used. Commercial events will be allowed more frequently across borough parks, with different rules for different spaces. Critics worry this means more closures for general public use and changes to the peaceful character of parks that many residents rely on for mental health and wellbeing.
The contradiction with expert guidance
The clash between The Gardens Trust’s guidance and Wandsworth’s policy centers on fundamental questions about how parks should be managed and funded. The Gardens Trust’s report argues that historic parks and gardens are “not only important because they are old, but rather have survived to become old because they are important.” The charity calls for increased investment in conservation so these spaces can continue supporting communities for generations.
Wandsworth’s approach moves in the opposite direction. Rather than investing more in parks, the council is using them to generate income to offset budget pressures. This follows a pattern that worried residents and opposition councillors during consultation, who warned that chasing short-term revenue could damage the long-term value these spaces provide.
The Gardens Trust, which has provided specialist advice on over 1,800 planning applications annually since gaining statutory consultee status in 1995, emphasizes that parks deliver far more value than any commercial revenue could generate. Research cited in their report shows outdoor exercise in green spaces provides £2.2 billion worth of health benefits annually in England. Parks save the NHS around £111 million per year just through reduced GP visits – not counting savings from fewer prescriptions or hospital referrals.
The report emphasizes several key principles that appear to contradict Wandsworth’s approach:
- Parks need “investment in the conservation and care of historic green spaces, so that they can continue to support communities for generations to come”
- There should be “better recognition and protection for our historic legacy of parks and gardens”
- Parks require “increased awareness that thousands of high-quality parks, gardens and other designed landscapes already exist and require skilled maintenance and management”
The Gardens Trust’s vision statement in the report calls for celebrating that “we are a nation of gardens and gardeners, recognised and admired across the world” while ensuring these spaces receive adequate funding and skilled management teams.
The charity’s research highlights that over 90 percent of people are concerned that government plans to build 1.5 million new homes could threaten local green spaces. This broader anxiety about development pressures appears relevant to policies that increase commercial activity in parks and potentially limit general public access.
What residents are saying
Friends of Wandsworth Parks groups have reported concerns about how commercialisation has already affected parks. Regular users describe more restrictions during commercial events and changes to the atmosphere of spaces that were designed for quiet recreation and community gathering.
This Gardens Trust report highlights the gap between expert guidance and what local authorities actually do.
The controversy also raises questions about democratic accountability. If consultation feedback opposes a policy but the council implements it anyway, and if expert guidance contradicts the council’s approach, what mechanisms exist to ensure decision-makers are held accountable?
These are questions Wandsworth residents may well be asking as they watch their local parks transformed.
