A recreation ground in Norbiton will undergo major renovations after a nearly £200,000 investment.

The derelict building will be revamped into a boxing gym with funding raised from a levy on developers by the Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee.

The project is being led by boxing club owner Ben Young, alongside the Friends of Kingston Road Recreation Ground group and support from local councillors.

Councillor Olly Wehring, the neighbourhood committee’s new chair, said: “This is huge news for the local community.

“It will bring a pavilion that’s been out of use for ten years back into use.

“Kingston Road Rec has had a reputation for anti-social behaviour of late, so this move will make this green space worth visiting again.

“Not only will the boxing club ward off ‘broken window syndrome’ in the rec, it will also make use of an asset that’s been closed for far too long.”

The work is expected to take between six to nine months to complete and plans are already underway for a future application to reopen the second smaller pavilion in the recreation ground.

The rec’s playground is also undergoing its own renovations, including a perimeter running track which was installed last year.

Looking forward, the committee plans to add gym equipment and five-a-side football pitches to the playground so that the community can make full use of the space.

Councillor Wehring added: “Projects like this - bringing an under-utilised green space into the 21st Century - are exactly what this levy is all about.

“While a lot of the money needs to go on providing things such as additional school places when new homes are built, it’s also important that some of the money goes to supporting and strengthening communities.

“As the new chair of the Kingston & North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee, I want to make sure we get every penny of investment to improve our community.

“I’d encourage any residents who have ideas for how we can use the CIL funding stream to improve the local area to get in touch with their local councillors.”

The council hopes that this project will help to regenerate the neighbourhood and give the borough a chance to recover from the closures that came with the Covid pandemic.