A year of BIG ambition: delivering inclusive, sustainable growth across South London in 2025
2025 was a year of momentum for BIG South London, one defined by collaboration, delivery and a growing sense of shared ambition across the sub-region.
2025 was a year of momentum for BIG South London, one defined by collaboration, delivery and a growing sense of shared ambition across the sub-region.
Across skills, health, research, innovation and place, BIG South London and its partners convened leaders, practitioners and communities to tackle the challenges shaping South London’s future. From landmark summits to targeted programmes and sustained engagement, the year strengthened networks, showcased what collaboration can deliver, and created space for new ideas to take root.
Below are some of the key moments that shaped the year, with reflections from Paul Kirkbright, Head of Partnership & Place at BIG South London, on each key achievement.
London-wide growth plan provides a springboard for local innovation and partnerships
The launch of the Mayor of London’s Growth Plan in February provided an important strategic backdrop for South London’s economic ambitions.
Paul comments: “When I look back at how far South London has come, the Mayor’s Growth Plan feels less like a new beginning and more like a moment of alignment, where local ambition meets a London-wide mandate for inclusive growth. As we head into 2026, it feels like all the groundwork we’ve laid is converging and we’re turning our most ambitious ideas into real, shared prosperity.”
BIG South London responded alongside partners to ensure South London’s strengths, including health and life sciences, skills, innovation and the creative economy, triggered wider conversations about growth and inclusive development across the sub-region.
Read Eleanor Merrick’s overview from its launch
South London skills and employment needs came into sharp focus
The Future of Work in South London event in March brought together employers, educators, policymakers, and partners to explore how changes in the world of work are being felt locally.
“What stood out was the urgency of the conversation and how practical it had become,” says Paul. “We didn’t just share perspectives; we left with a clearer, shared direction.”
Discussions focused on green skills, digital innovation, entrepreneurial pathways, inclusive recruitment and the future health and social care workforce. The event produced a roadmap to support workforce development that responds directly to South London’s needs.
Read what the event discovered
Raising the profile of health research in South West London
Health and life sciences continued to be a defining strength for the sub-region. The South West London Health Research Summit in May convened NHS, local councils, universities, voluntary and community groups and alike from across South West London.
“What excites me most is seeing research move beyond papers and pilots into real improvements in people’s lives and the local economy,” Paul notes. “This feels like just the beginning for South West London’s health research community, and we now have the partnerships and infrastructure to go further, faster.”
The Summit marked the first anniversary of the South West London Research Support Network, highlighting collaboration, innovation and the growing infrastructure supporting health research across the area.
View the past event overview and resources
South London sets a bold ambition for growth
June marked the launch of BIG Ambition, a statement responding directly to the Mayor’s Growth Plan and setting out a collective vision for the sub-region.
“BIG Ambition captured the strategy that had been building for years,” says Paul. “It gave us a shared language for our goals and the confidence to move forward together.”
The BIG Ambition statement showcases South London’s vital role in generating polycentric growth and the bold ambition that all South London Partnership leaders share for our places, highlighting what collaboration can achieve when rooted in place and purpose.
Read the full press release and access the statement
Turning innovation support into tangible outcomes
In July, three new case studies highlighted how collaboration through the BIG Growth Programme is supporting innovation on the ground. Delivered in partnership with the University of Roehampton and the University of the Arts London, the programme supported small businesses to develop ideas and overcome barriers.
“The BIG Growth Programme has become a platform for partnerships and problem-solving, not just funding,” Paul explains.
Led by London South Bank University and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the programme demonstrated how universities, boroughs and businesses can work together to deliver real economic and community benefits.
Discover our support in action
From ambition to action: leaders shape the growth conversation
Between July and November, twelve BIG Ambition blog posts by leaders across South London explored how the statement translates into practice.
“What struck me was how grounded the insights were,” says Paul. “Growth in South London isn’t top-down, it’s being driven by people working locally, every day.”
Covering themes such as anchor institutions, entrepreneurial universities and cultural tourism, the series amplified diverse voices and practical experience, showing how collaboration is already strengthening the local economy.
Leaders unite at landmark Destination South London Summit
Hosted at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Kingston in November, this event brought together more than 150 leaders from across South London to showcase the sub-region as a destination.
Paul reflects: “From the All England Club Championships at Wimbledon and rugby at Twickenham Stadium to Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace, the Summit strengthened collaboration around place-based growth, explored South London’s identity, and showcased the assets, ambition, and opportunity that define the local cities.”
Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, said at the event: “The Destination South London summit event is a powerful example of how working in partnership across boroughs, sectors, and communities can help realise the Mayor’s London Growth Plan and strengthen London’s world-class experience and visitor economy.”
Building a future-ready workforce together
The South London Skills Summit in November, co-hosted with the South Thames Colleges Group, brought together over 200 stakeholders at Merton College.
“This wasn’t about talking hypothetically about future skills,” Paul reflects. “It was about aligning education, employers and communities to deliver them.”
Marking a milestone in the development of the South London LSIP annex, the event focused on matching skills provision to employer demand, addressing barriers to work and supporting residents into sustainable employment.
Discover the full agenda of the day
Making research visible and inclusive through Research Cafés
Throughout 2025, more than ten South West London Research Cafés, supported by BIG South London, brought research closer to communities in accessible, informal settings.
“The Cafés showed how powerful it can be to demystify research,” Paul says. “They created spaces where people felt able to learn, contribute and connect.”
Over 400 participants engaged through the programme, building confidence, capability and collaboration across organisations and communities.
Get access to resources and view upcoming events
Supporting start-ups, SMEs and social enterprises to grow
London South Bank University and partners delivered a programme of business support workshops in collaboration with BIG South London, engaging more than 118 participants.
“By connecting businesses with expertise and networks, LSBU is helping turn ideas into innovation,” Paul notes.
Covering topics from sustainability to AI, the programme strengthened collaboration between businesses and academia and supported practical innovation across South London.
Be the first to know about BIG South London initiatives in 2026
As BIG South London moves into 2026, the foundations laid in 2025 provide a strong platform to continue to bring partners together to create lasting impact, opportunity and connection across the region.
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