Lewisham Council received the funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Nature Towns and Cities grant.
The money will be used to improve underused outdoor areas through the council’s new Nature Neighbourhoods project, which aims to support health, wellbeing, and biodiversity.
Louise Krupski, deputy mayor of Lewisham Council, said: “We’re so excited that our bid has been successful.
“This project will help us to make our green spaces across Lewisham more biodiverse, and to support the health and wellbeing of our diverse communities.
“We’re looking forward to working with partners and organisations across the borough to deliver something truly transformative and we can’t wait to get started.”
The project will launch in autumn and will involve collaboration with schools, housing associations, and community groups to identify and improve green spaces, particularly around social housing estates.
Plans include the development of community stewardship toolkits, biodiversity plans, and new walking routes to help residents access nature close to home.
There will also be a focus on equality and inclusion, with efforts to engage historically underserved communities, including people with disabilities and those from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
An advisory group will help reimagine how shared spaces can serve both residents and wildlife, while a new community grant fund will support grassroots green initiatives.
The scheme will contribute to the development of a borough-wide parks and open spaces strategy, aimed at creating a connected ecosystem that benefits both people and nature.
Nature Neighbourhoods is part of the wider Nature, Towns and Cities programme, which is supported by Natural England, the National Trust, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Eilish McGuinness, chief executive at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “I am delighted to announce an investment of £15.5 million which will help 40 towns and cities across the UK better plan their urban nature recovery, connecting people and communities to their natural environment in the places they live.
“We have invested over £1bn in regenerating over 900 urban parks and green spaces over the last 30 years, helping nature thrive in towns everywhere – and this exciting initiative, working with partners right across the UK, will continue to build on this investment and give millions of people better access to nature close to home.”
