Wandsworth

Overview of borough

Resident population: 284,000

Working age population: 207,300

Key town centres: Balham, Battersea, Clapham Junction, Putney, Tooting, and Wandsworth.

A number of international communities have based themselves in the borough including: the Asian community in Tooting on the borders of Merton, Brazilians in Putney, over 1,000 Spanish residents, and a cluster of French residents. 

Skills & Labour Force

Qualifications:
57% of the workforce is educated to degree level (NVQ4+) compared with London at 38.6%.

Colleges/Universities

Roehampton University
Website: http://www.roehampton.ac.uk

St George's, University of London
Website: www.sgul.ac.uk/

South Thames College 
Website: http://www.south-thames.ac.uk/

St Francis Xavier 6th Form College 
Website: http://www.sfx.ac.uk/

Business Base

176,400 are economically active in the borough.

Number of VAT registered businesses: 11,665

Strong focus on the business and personal services sector, but also the wholesale and retail trade, with Clapham Junction and Wandsworth town being major hubs for retail. Other niche sectors include creative industries.

Key companies include: Hutchison Whampoa, Sony, Hotelplan, IBM, QVC, Securicor, Smiths Bros, Vivienne Westwood, and Villeroy & Boch.
Unemployment rate (model based) is: 5.6% (Apr 2008 - Mar 2009)
Transport

8 railway stations including Clapham Junction, the busiest station in the UK, providing mainline services to the South, South East, South West and the central London terminals of Waterloo and Victoria.

6 underground tube stations providing access to the City of London via the Northern line.

Heathrow Airport can be reached by car in 45 minutes and Gatwick in 30 minutes by rail.

The major road in the borough is the A3. From the middle of Wandsworth the M25 and M3 can be reached in 30 minutes and the M4 in 25 minutes. The A24 runs south to Merton and the M25.  The A214 connects to the neighbouring boroughs of Lambeth and Fulham.

East London Line extension: Plans will involve extending the East London line to Dalston Junction, Crystal Palace and West Croydon via Lewisham by summer 2010.

Quality of Life

Interesting attractions:

Battersea Park a large (83 hectares/200 acres) Victorian park, with fantastic features including a grand 1 kilometre riverside promenade, magnificent fountains , a large lake, ornamental and ecological areas, and the Battersea Park Children's Zoo. Battersea Park is home to a stunning Japanese peace pagoda where every morning Buddhist monks congregate for silent meditation.

Battersea Arts Centre
Grade 1 listed Parkstead House, designed for the 2nd Earl of Bessborough in the 1760’s by Sir William Chambers – who was also the architect for Somerset House and the Pagoda at Kew Gardens.

The De Morgan Centre – one of the most beautiful small museums in London

Clapham Junction and surrounding areas, with a strong retail scene, and vibrant nightlife.

Business Support

Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce
Park House
233 Roehampton Lane
London
SW15 4LB
Tel: 020 8767 2761

Wandsworth Borough Council
The Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 2PU
Switchboard: 020 8871 6000
www.wandsworth.gov.uk