Wandle Valley

The Wandle Valley is identified as one of London’s four strategic corridors, as either having relatively high employment or as having potential for growth. The Wandle Valley provides 10% of London’s employment and almost 20% of London’s manufacturing employment. It is a location for many of south London’s town and district centres and strategic industrial locations.

The south Wandle area will benefit from new opportunities arising from infrastructure developments in the Gatwick area, including the growth of the airport services. The Gatwick Diamond economic strategy (a collaboration between West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey County Councils) can bring economic growth to the sub-region through supply chain contract opportunities and new employment opportunities linked to the expansion of Gatwick Airport.

The Wandle Valley River also presents a rich mix of heritage locations, residential communities, metropolitan open land, open parkland, a complex mix of wildlife areas, and the Wandle Trail cycle route. There is also a proposed development for a Wandle Valley Regional Park which will provide 500 hectares of open space.