The money comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a scheme introduced by Government allowing councils to raise money from developments which is then used to deliver infrastructure improvements.

The Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund can be spent on anything which addresses the impact of development in an area.

The Council received 24 bids. A total of 13 projects across Royal Greenwich met the criteria and will receive funding in this first round.

For the Neighbourhood Growth Fund, Royal Greenwich is divided into four neighbourhoods. Each neighbourhood is allocated a set amount which is dependent on the amount of development in their area.

The winners in each neighbourhood are:

Area one - Eltham and Shooters Hill

• The Friends of Fairy Hill Park have secured funding for the renewal of ball courts fencing.

Area two - Blackheath and Greenwich

• The Bridge East Greenwich community group will get money for new outdoor play equipment and bench refurbishment at The Bridge
• St Alfege Church in Greenwich West receives funding towards a new access ramp
• The Land Restoration Trust and the Conservation Volunteers will receive financial backing for their Getting Close to Nature at Greenwich project
• The Peninsula Koinonia Federation successfully bid for financing for the Christchurch School community garden
• Montessori Education for Autism won funding for equipment upgrades at the Blackheath/Westcombe Autism support project
• Vanbrugh Community Association successfully bid for support for the Reach Out 'Digital Inclusion' Project at Mycenae House.

Area three - Charlton and Woolwich

• Greenwich Cooperative Development Agency has won funds for its Woolwich Digital Inclusion Programme
• Big Red Bus Club Charlton will get funding to replace windows at Charlton under-fives Play Centre
• Greenwich and Lewisham Young People's Theatre who will get money to develop and sustain Woolwich community and carnival projects.

Area four - Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Thamesmead

• Positive Plumstead Project won financial backing for its plan for improvements to Plumstead High Street and White Hart Road
• Confuse the Body successfully bid for money for the Fitness to the Streets project in Glyndon
• Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice will receive funding for its sensory garden.

Any monies in each area funds not allocated in this first round will be automatically forwarded to the next submissions round for that neighbourhood.

Feedback will be given to those community groups whose applications did not comply with the entrant criteria this time on how they could revise and resubmit their proposals in future submission rounds.

Next round of applications

The next application round for the Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund will open in autumn 2018.

'Delighted by the range and imagination of the applications'

Cllr Denise Hyland, Leader, Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: "This first round has been a great success and I am delighted by the range and imagination of the applications. This is only the start.

"I hope more community groups will come on board and send us their ideas for ways to mitigate the impact of development and enhance their neighbourhood when the next round for the Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund opens later this year."

Find out more about the Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund