The council says the lion head fountain was damaged by Storm Eunice last year and now is a good time for a redesign of the whole space. 

The shortlisted proposals will be displayed at a public exhibition so residents can feed-back before the final judging phase takes place. 

The designers are being told they must have an indication of potential budget before they submit a design. 

Residents first found out about the competition plans after the news was mistakenly released online earlier this week. 

The winning design will be announced in July. 

A link to the competition can be found here;  https://www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org/london-festival-of-architecture-and-kingston-council-launch-a-gateway-to-new-malden/

A spokesperson for Kingston Council said: 

We are delighted to announce that Kingston Council has partnered with the London Festival of Architecture (LFA) to launch an exciting new design competition that will support New Malden’s high street recovery. 

The competition is asking for designs that will create an inclusive and attractive public space in the heart of the town centre, including the re-landscaping of the roundabout and neighbouring green space. Design considerations will also need to address the damaged fountain and could suggest opportunities for a new monument which will signal a gateway into the town, whilst also celebrating the character, culture, and heritage of the area.

In early 2022, Storm Eunice caused further damage to the existing fibreglass fountain, which has been non-functional for some time, as well as the large tree of heaven formerly located on the pocket space. Given the extent of the current damage, this design competition provides us with the opportunity to consider the landmark entrance to the town, whilst providing wider public realm and biodiversity improvements. 

Local people are part of the decision making across the competition, and feedback is an integral part of this. The shortlisted proposals will be displayed as part of an exhibition in New Malden that everyone can attend, and we will be asking the local community for feedback and comments, which will then feed into the final judging stage. The judging panel will also consist of local community representatives.

As part of the competition, designers will submit an indicative cost plan that will be assessed as part of the judging process. To submit proposals the designers will need to have an indication of potential budget  - and the brief indicates a maximum cost to provide a ceiling to ensure that the design proposals do not exceed this amount. 

The competition closes on 11th May, with the selected design to be announced in July 2023. 

Cllr Lesley Heap, New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Chair, said: 

“New Malden is a unique place with a vibrant community, and this is a great opportunity for us to continue to celebrate the pride we feel in our town.

“Making our town centres more attractive is a key part of our work to regenerate our borough and support the local economy. Exciting plans like this one help us to improve our community spaces, and bring life into the town centre”

“I look forward to seeing the proposals that come out of this design process, and working with local representatives on bringing forward a successful scheme that we can all benefit from.”

The council says the competition is being delivered through revenue funding from its existing service budget. 

Once the final design has been selected, the design’s cost plan will be assessed, and funding will be sought.

The council says that to realise the public realm enhancement works, the pocket park and fountain, the budget will need to cover a range of items including but not limited to: builders/ contractors costs, landscaping/planting, street furniture, necessary hard surfacing works, structural costs, and insurance. 

The brief indicates the maximum cost that the council expects these works to be delivered for and this provides a ceiling to ensure that design proposals do not exceed this amount.

The council says it has a number of different funding routes to support community activity, including funding that local people can apply for to support a wide range of opportunities, including improving public realm and spaces. 

For more information,  visit: https://www.kingston.gov.uk/neighbourhood-community-safety/community-grants-programme.