Lewisham residents can apply for £200, and groups up to £1,000, to clean up fly-tipping spots and plant neglected corners. Applications close 5pm, 27 November.

Lewisham residents can now apply for small council grants to clean up and plant the corners of their streets that keep attracting dumped rubbish. Applications for the Love Lewisham Microgrants opened on 28 September and close at 5pm on Friday 27 November.

The grants are the community part of Love Lewisham, the clean streets campaign the council launched in June. The council says around 43,000 fly-tipping incidents are reported in the borough each year, and that clearing them costs it more than £1m a year.

How much you can get

There are three routes, set out on the council’s grants page:

Grant Who can apply Amount
Resident grant Any Lewisham resident aged 18 or over, applying directly £200
Community grant Constituted community groups and local organisations, including resident-led projects with a partner organisation £500
Enhanced community grant Groups with larger or more substantial projects £500 to £1,000

A resident with an idea costing more than £200 can still lead it. They must apply with a constituted community organisation, which receives and manages the money. The council says it will help residents find a partner if they ask.

What it will and will not pay for

The grants can fund:

  • community clean-ups and neighbourhood action
  • planting, planters and small greening projects
  • equipment that benefits the wider community
  • community artwork or awareness work linked to improving an area
  • practical projects tackling fly-tipping, neglect or another recurring local problem

They cannot normally pay for anyone’s own time, for work the council or a landowner should be doing, for costs already spent, or for projects outside the borough.

Applicants do not have to be in a published fly-tipping hotspot. The council says photos, local knowledge and neighbours’ views are what count, and “a missing mark on a published map will not count against an application.” The budget is limited, so meeting the criteria does not guarantee a grant.

Anything going on the pavement has to meet a standard. The council’s grant catalogue says planters on the public highway need a solid closed base, no legs, a height of at least 0.5m and a length of at least 1m. Its cheapest example, a compact timber box of that size, is priced at an indicative £110 to £180.

The timetable

  • 27 November, 5pm: applications close
  • December to January: applicants told the outcome
  • January to February 2027: grants paid
  • February to 31 May 2027: projects carried out
  • by 30 June 2027: final monitoring

A doorstep bulky waste trial on the Pepys Estate

Separately, the council has started a trial on parts of the Pepys Estate in Deptford that removes the communal bulky waste points altogether. The council’s Door-to-Tip page says those points “can attract fly-tipping”.

The first stage covers:

  • Bence House
  • Clement House
  • Pendennis House
  • Crandley Court
  • Pomona
  • Hazelwood House
  • Trundleys Terrace

The last pickup from the old collection points was on 21 September. Since 28 September, residents in those blocks book a collection instead, and the crew takes items from their door. Collections run on Mondays only, up to three items at a time, and must be booked by 1pm the Friday before. Booking is by phone on 0800 028 2028 (option 7, then option 2) or by email to estates@lewisham.gov.uk.

There is no extra charge, because the service is covered by existing rent and service charges. Items must stay inside the home until the crew arrives. The council says anything left at the old collection points will be treated as fly-tipping, and it may use CCTV and fines. Other blocks will be contacted before any later stage reaches them.

What it means for you

  • Got a spot in mind? If your project involves a pavement, a shared space, planters, a mural, an event or land you do not own, email community.funding@lewisham.gov.uk before you apply. The council asks for this so it can confirm what permission is needed.
  • Applying for £200 or less? You can apply on your own through the application form. You will need a location, a short description, an itemised budget and evidence of costs.
  • Need to get rid of something big? Outside the Pepys trial, the borough’s bulky waste collection has cost £5 per item since the council cut the charge last year, or £25 for a fridge or freezer. The Landmann Way tip is free for Lewisham residents, with photo ID and proof of address.
  • Seen dumping? Report it through the council’s Love Clean Streets app. The council says fly-tippers face fines of up to £1,000.
  • Your regular collection day is on our Lewisham bin collection days page.

Sources