My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), evidence of access to a lease for the space you are leveraging, and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions.
Yes
First Name
Daniel
Last Name
Bailey
Pronouns
He/Him
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
1
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
No
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
No
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Lead Organisation Name
Camden Council
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
1978
Initiative Title
Swiss Cottage Open Space Phase 3: Skate Plaza
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.camden.gov.uk/
Initiative Stage
Idea (You have a solid concept and are hoping to get started in the future)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Phase 3 of the Swiss Cottage Open space improvement project will deliver a brand new purpose built skating plaza including greening and biodiversity improvements for the benefit of a range of Londoner but especially young people.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Swiss Cottage Open Space has seen ongoing conflict between user groups, particularly young families and local skaters who were competing for limited space within the Phase 1 area. This highlighted the need for a dedicated facility that could safely accommodate skate activity without undermining the family focused design now delivered as part of Phase 1. To manage this, anti skate features were introduced in phase 1, along with the commitment that skate provision would be re provided in Phase 3. Phase 3 directly responds to this need by delivering a safe, well designed skate plaza shaped through years of engagement with skaters and local young people. The project will benefit the local and wider London skate community, as well as schools, the Winch Youth Centre, and other nearby community organisations who have expressed strong interest in increased skate provision and inclusive social spaces. Our engagement with the community since 2020 ensures this proposal is rooted in real, lived feedback and experiences. This phase presents a key opportunity to support young people, create inclusive recreational spaces, reduce conflict between user groups, and enhance the wider character and social offer of the area.
Your approach: How are you/ will you addressing the problem outlined above? How does your solution unlock or reimagine access to spaces for sport and physical activity? What role do landowners, local authorities, or other decision-making stakeholders play in your approach? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
Since 2020, we have worked closely with the local community to develop a comprehensive masterplan for Swiss Cottage Open Space. Please see Commonplace engagement webpage: (https://swisscottageopenspace.commonplace.is ). It was during this engagement period that the idea to create this new space was initiated. The design has been developed with professional landscape architecture practice Land Use Consultants (LUC) and sub-consultants to ensure a functional, welcoming, high-quality space is created. With all five phases designed and Phase 1 successfully completed and recognised with a BALI Award in 2025, the next phase is ready for delivery subject to securing the required funding. Phase 3 provides a dedicated, safe, and inclusive space for new and experienced skaters to be active and social. It reimagines an underused pocket of land located in the shadow of the Swiss cottage leisure centre as a vibrant space for physical activity, specifically addressing structural barriers such as lack of accessible skate provision and competing uses within Phase 1. Camden Council, local stakeholders and visitors have all contributed to shaping a design that improves access to high quality recreation space for young people. The next phase will see the procurement of a suitable skate plaza contractor to deliver the scheme and accomplish our promise to the local community.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
We have undertaken extensive community engagement since 2020. Please see Commonplace engagement webpage: (https://swisscottageopenspace.commonplace.is/). As part of this, we worked closely with The Winch Youth Club to understand issues faced by young people using the open space. Their feedback highlighted conflicts between skaters and family groups, directly informing the proposal to create a dedicated skate plaza. Through workshops with The Winch and their members, young people helped shape the design and layout of the Phase 3 space. Their insight has been central to decision making, and the resulting proposals reflect their needs, aspirations, and lived experiences. The project is therefore built around the local community, with young people actively co creating solutions that benefit them. The engagement was also opened out to the wider community for feedback on the idea of a dedicated space for skating and this was largely supported in recognition of how the overall space was being proposed to be redesigned. There was also an ambition to improve biodiversity in the area which we have responded to through planting and habitat creation proposals.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in unlocking spaces for and access to physical activity and sport so far? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had , and or what impact do you envision having in the future?
The project will transform an underused green verge behind the leisure centre into a popular, purpose built skate plaza for local young people and the wider community. The site is ideally situated close to Swiss Cottage Underground Station, within walking distance of The Winch Youth Club and several schools, and adjacent to Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre. Historical damage from skateboarding in the phase 1 area has been recorded, and as the area wasn’t designed to endure skate-use this led to the area becoming unsightly. However, this demonstrates the local need for this type of facility, which this proposal responds to. Now that phase 1 has been redeveloped we are now keen to re-provide a space for skating. The facility will create new opportunities for physical activity, social connection, and youth engagement. In the long term, it will support increased participation in skating, reduce pressure on the Phase 1 area, and improve overall enjoyment and safety across the open space. We anticipate significant local use, as well as wider London appeal due to the limited availability of dedicated skate facilities across London. This could potentially lead to future Olympians in the sport that could learn, practice and grow using this new facility.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
This project transforms an underused piece of land into an active, high quality destination specifically designed for young people. The skate plaza offers a safe, compact facility with broad appeal and increases sporting provision that is currently lacking across much of London. Our approach is innovative in the way it reclaims overlooked urban space and reimagines it as a vibrant, youth focused asset. The project tackles root issues of conflicting use and limited youth provision by delivering an inclusive, purpose built facility shaped through community collaboration. It is also located in an area to reduce the potential noise impact of skating to wider park users who come to the park for a peaceful and tranquil time. The scheme cleverly provides a wide range of uses in a compact and limited area. The scheme also seeks to enhance local biodiversity value by introducing a wildflower meadow adjacent the skate park as well as new planting and wildlife friendly bin stores shelters, insect hotels, bird boxes.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your initiative up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
The design makes full use of the available space on site, providing high quality skating and social features while ensuring long term operational sustainability. While the physical footprint cannot expand further, the project has strong potential for programme based growth. Due to its proximity to Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre, we are exploring opportunities for collaboration with our colleagues in the sports team, such as: • shared use of indoor facilities • organised skating lessons • events, workshops and tournaments The new skate plaza will be managed and maintained by Camden Council’s green space operations team, ensuring regular safety inspections, cleansing and sweeping of the facility, grounds maintenance to planted areas and long term upkeep. We also anticipate The Winch integrating the facility into their youth and summer programmes, expanding its reach and impact, which we expect will see increased youth participation outside of term time. This could also extend to local primary and secondary schools.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
The Green Space Development Team will lead delivery of the project, overseeing contractor procurement and construction once funding is secured. Long term management and maintenance will be carried out by the Green Space Operations Team to ensure the facility remains safe, presentable and welcoming. We will work closely with colleagues in Leisure Services and the sports team to promote the plaza, develop a programme of lessons and training, and support community events. Partner organisations such as The Winch will help maximise youth participation and provide ongoing user engagement. Our colleagues in the Park’s partnerships team will also look to foster formalised skating groups and friends of groups for the new facility, to encourage local ownership and pride.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
We are actively fundraising for this project, with the GoLondon Fund identified as a key opportunity. We are also exploring Local CIL contributions and other developer funding. A full RIBA Stage 4 technical design pack has been completed with our landscape architects, meaning the project is ready to go out to tender for a contractor to deliver the scheme. Our quantity surveyor has provided a cost estimate of approximately £300k for delivery of the Phase 3 skate plaza. We are seeking £100k from Go London and intend to seek the remaining funding from Locil CIL and other developer contributions of which we understand a collective pot of £200k is available. We expect to have all funding confirmed by August 2026. Once funding is secured, we will proceed to contractor procurement between August and October 2026. We then expect to be on site (construction) in January 2026 with works completed by April 2027.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details.
I am able to attend.
