Hounslow’s community spaces set for £1.5m upgrade

Hounslow is set for a major aesthetic and functional overhaul as a £1.5 million ‘Pride in Place’ investment is greenlit for the borough. From a celebrity-inspired ‘Walk of Fame’ to vital accessibility upgrades at community allotments, the funding aims to revitalise high streets and green spaces by March 2027, with a primary focus on the council’s Equality Opportunity Areas.

Among the projects is the Feltham Walk of Fame, a new mosaic trail through Feltham Town Centre celebrating local icons with connections to the area, including Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Mo Farah and Henry VIII – Henry VIII owned nearby Hanworth Air Park and used it as a royal hunting lodge. The trail will link key destinations, draw visitors through the town centre and strengthen local pride by telling the story of Feltham’s rich heritage.

The programme will also fund shopfront improvements across several of the borough’s high streets, including in Cranford, Isleworth and Hounslow West to help create more attractive, welcoming town centres that support local businesses to thrive and improve the day-to-day experience for residents and visitors. The programme builds on investment also made in places such as Cedar Yard Community and Dukes Meadow in Chiswick.

Funding will also support improvements at the Waye Avenue community allotment in Cranford, where a new fully accessible compositable toilet will enable more residents to take part in allotment sessions throughout the year. The allotment supports a wide range of local people and produce grown there is shared with residents who are housebound or experiencing social isolation.

Sharnjeet Bhalla, Chief Executive of Sunshine of Hounslow and Ealing, said: “As a disability‑led organisation, having a fully accessible toilet at the Waye Avenue community garden will make a tremendous difference to the people who use our space. Many of our wheelchair users, special educational needs students and older residents – including some in their nineties – currently struggle because the nearest facilities are too far away. Our staff and the 1,400 volunteers who supported us last year face the same challenge. This new facility will give everyone who visits our garden the dignity, comfort and independence they deserve.”

Investment will also:

• Support the creation of new play facilities for children without access to outdoor play space
• Improvements to sports facilities to enable year-round use
• Enhancement of green corridors and active travel routes
• Improvements to community hubs and libraries to make them more accessible and welcoming.

Councillor Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development at Hounslow Council, said: “We welcome this investment as part of the government’s continued commitment to strengthening communities and delivering real, visible improvements where they are needed most. This funding will play a vital role in enhancing the everyday places that matter to residents in Hounslow – from playgrounds and high streets to community spaces and green routes that bring people together and foster local pride. This programme reflects a shared ambition to build stronger, more resilient communities. It is through this kind of targeted, collaborative approach that we can ensure long-term impact and create places where people not only live, but truly feel they belong.”