The significant investment for Morden follows years of delays in town centre regeneration
After years of revised timelines and repeated setbacks, Merton Council has announced a £30 million investment intended to accelerate the long-discussed regeneration of Morden town centre. The pledge represents the most significant progress on the project for several years and follows mounting concerns from residents about delays that have pushed the expected completion of major regeneration into the 2040s.
The council says the new investment has been made possible partly through the sale of a company it established in 1997, which grew into a leading UK provider of compliance and risk management services across sectors including construction, education and transport. The sale of CHAS 2013 Ltd in 2023 generated a one-off £186 million, which the council says has strengthened its financial position and enabled additional regeneration funding.
According to the council, the long-term vision for “Remaking Morden” envisages a town centre with a mix of independent and national shops, a daytime café culture and safe, welcoming evening venues. The plan also includes greener streets, cleaner air, better public spaces and a more attractive public realm for residents and visitors alike.
Next year, the Labour council intends to commit £30 million of this funding to the project. It is now looking for a private-sector development partner to lead the regeneration under the Remaking Morden programme.
However, a September report by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) highlighted growing frustration among residents and businesses over the long-promised overhaul. Many questioned whether improvements would ever materialise, pointing to repeated resets, revised timelines and stalled progress over the past two decades.
Among those interviewed was shopkeeper Anil Patel, who has run the Post Office and Londis on Crown Lane for 20 years. He said: “If you have the afternoon off, Morden is the last place you would want to be.”
He continued: “People are not stopping here, there is nothing to keep them here,” describing the town centre as lacking appeal to visitors. Anil added: “People come out of the station, and then they disappear.”
Others raised concerns about congestion and poor conditions for pedestrians. One commuter told the LDRS: “It feels like I’m always waiting to cross the road around here.” Several said pavements are narrow, bus stops overcrowded and traffic through the centre heavy and uninviting.
Much of central Morden is owned by TfL’s property company, Places for London, including the area around the Charles Holden-designed Tube station. Some locals suggested the station forecourt could be redesigned to make it a place people want to linger. Anil added: “People come out of the station, and then they disappear.”
Several residents and business owners also criticised the limited retail variety. Anil said: “We also need more things like proper bakeries,” and argued that the council should have more influence over what kinds of shops open locally.
Business owner Raj Beeharry described congestion as one of the town’s biggest problems, while long-time resident Samuel Thompson pointed to difficulties relating to overcrowded pavements near bus stops.
Political voices have also weighed in on the stalled regeneration. Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler told the LDRS: “After more than 20 years of excuses, it is no wonder there is such deep frustration in Morden.” He argued that previous commitments to secure a development partner had not been fulfilled.
Merton’s Liberal Democract leader Anthony Fairclough cautioned that the latest reset might not lead to real results without a confirmed developer. He said: “It just feels like a relaunch of the same promises when, in reality, they just need to get on and do something.”
The council has previously cited external pressures including the pandemic and TfL’s financial difficulties as key reasons why earlier plans have stalled. A failed £20 million bid to the Levelling Up Fund in 2023 also contributed to slow progress.
With major construction yet to begin, the council has delivered smaller improvements through its ‘Meanwhile Action Plan’. These include new benches, planting, signage and proposals for a pickleball court with seating, greenery and murals behind the station.
Some residents say these changes have improved the area’s appearance, while others argue they do not address deeper issues such as the long-closed upper floor of the Peel House car park.
The £30 million investment was announced by Councillor Ross Garrod, Leader of Merton Council, at the borough’s Christmas lights switch-on on Abbotsbury Road last Friday. He said: “This £30 million investment represents the next stage in realising our ambition to remake Morden into a better town centre that works for local people.”
He added: “We have ambitious plans to create a thriving new neighbourhood for residents, grow the local economy, help existing businesses to flourish, and attract new shops and sport, leisure and cultural activities.
“We will create new homes for local people and their families, and we will work with the community to make sure the plans reflect the character and heritage of Morden. This investment is about delivering real change. It is time to start a new chapter in Morden.”
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