Sussex Street Play Area is a small but valuable open space in Pimlico, where places for children to play safely and neighbours to access local outdoor spaces are limited.
Pimlico is an area deprived of open space and space for play. The Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan talks specifically about Sussex Street Play Area as an important community asset.
However, Westminster City Council is consulting on plans to redevelop the site to provide affordable housing alongside some open space.
There is an alternative community-led approach.
The Friends of Sussex Street Play Area is proposing to retain and improve Sussex Street Play Area as a safe, accessible space for local children and families.
Our approach would:
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- Protect limited local open space, as recognised in the Pimlico Neighbourhood Plan and Westminster City Council’s Open Spaces and Biodiversity Strategy, which identifies Pimlico as lacking in open space
- Upgrade facilities to support play and wellbeing
- Create flexible space for wider community use
- Open up the site in line with the neighbourhood plan
- Deliver clear environmental and social value
This is a balanced solution that keeps this valuable open space without undermining wider housing delivery. It includes a potential funding and management approach that does not rely on public money.
In short, it keeps Sussex Street for the community, now and in the future.
Who we are
The Friends of Sussex Street Play Area is made up of local groups including Pimlico Toy Library, Pimlico Puffin and local families who are working in partnership with Eaton Square Prep School which currently leases and occupies the site. We are working to bring forward a practical plan that keeps the Play Area open and upgrades it for wider community use.
Join the campaign
We need more local voices to support the campaign to secure the future of Sussex Street Play Area. We are asking residents to:
Reimagining Sussex Street Play Area
Frequently asked questions
What is being proposed for Sussex Street Play Area?
Local residents and community organisations are proposing that Sussex Street Play Area is retained and improved as permanent open space for the community.
The aim is to protect the space from development and create a well-designed, welcoming play area and garden that works for children, families and local residents.
This is a practical, community-led proposal focused on long term public benefit.
Why does Sussex Street Play Area matter to the local community?
Pimlico has very limited publicly accessible green space. Many residents live in flats without gardens or balconies, and several nearby squares are private.
Small spaces like Sussex Street play an important role in everyday life. They provide somewhere for children to play, for people to meet, and for residents of all ages to spend time outdoors.
Once open space is lost, it is very difficult to replace. Protecting this site helps support health, wellbeing and community life.
What could the space look like in future?
The space could be redesigned through consultation with local people to better meet community needs.
This could include improved play equipment, a balance of hard and soft landscaping, planting, seating and more flexible space for community use.
The aim is to create a greener, more inclusive and better used space that reflects how local people want to use it.
How would access to the space work?
The intention is that the space would be open to the public during agreed daylight hours, in line with other local play areas.
Any arrangements for shared or managed use would be agreed transparently, with the clear principle that the space remains publicly accessible for the vast majority of the time.
What is the Council proposing?
Following its February 2026 report, the Council has identified its preferred option to redevelop the site to provide affordable housing alongside accessible open space. This is the option currently being consulted on. Unlike the Friends proposal, there will be financial impact on local taxpayers for limited public benefit.
Other options considered by the Council include:
- Upgrading and retaining the site as publicly accessible open and play space
- Redeveloping the site to provide the maximum number of homes with no open space
- Doing nothing
A letter (dated 19/03/2026) was circulated to immediate neighbours inviting participation in discussing the Council’s preferred option.
How will the space be funded and managed?
Our proposal has been developed by local residents and community organisations, working with partners who are already involved in the site.
It includes a potential funding and management approach that does not rely on public money. Eaton Square Prep School, which currently leases and manages the site, is part of that discussion and could support investment in improvements and ongoing maintenance.
At this stage, this is the only clearly identified route that brings forward funding for both upgrading and maintaining the space, without cost to the public purse. A formal Friends group would help represent the community and provide local oversight, alongside clear arrangements for day-to-day management.
This shows there is a practical, deliverable way to retain and improve the space, while keeping it open for public use.
Who is supporting this campaign?
The campaign is being supported by local residents, families and community organisations who want to protect and improve Sussex Street Play Area.
Groups such as Pimlico Toy Library, St Andrews Youth Project and other local partners are helping to bring people together and build support.
Eaton House Prep School, which currently leases and manages the site, is also part of this wider community conversation.
The campaign is open to anyone who wants to see the space retained as a shared community asset.
Why not build housing on this site?
We recognise that London needs more housing and that new homes are important.
However, Sussex Street is a very small site in an area that already has limited access to public green space. Development here would deliver a relatively small number of homes, while permanently removing a valuable local open space.
In this case, the loss of the space would be felt more strongly by the local community than the limited housing gain.
This is about finding the right use for the right site, and many residents feel this space is best kept open for community use.
How can I support the campaign?
There are several ways to get involved:
- Join the mailing list for updates
- Share the campaign with neighbours and local groups
- Contact your ward councillors to express your views
- Attend local events and activities
- Help spread the word online
Demonstrating clear and visible community support will help ensure local voices are heard when decisions are made.