The creation of a new music education centre and concert venue in Embassy Gardens started today.

In the recent Budget announcement it was revealed that the project was one of six in London to receive funds.

£800,000 has been awarded by the Government's Levelling Up Fund (LUF).

This comes shortly after the announcement that Wandsworth council is to receive £30,000 to make planning system more accessible.

The registered charity World Heart Beat was awarded the building, adjacent to the US embassy and moments from Nine Elms tube station, by London Borough of Wandsworth and property developers Eco-World Ballymore, in 2018 with a 50 year lease at £1 per annum.

The charity will be a cultural anchor benefitting 1000s of young people, many from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The concert hall will be the first to open in London since 2008 and will see a mix of emerging and professional headline artists performing music from all over the world.

World Heart Beat charity was founded in 2009 by Sahana Gero, MBE and promotes music as a universal form of communication.

Gero said: "We believe that our new building, which is cutting-edge, will be a blueprint for the future of music education and an incredible asset for the community, in an area desperately in need of concert venues."

The entire project is estimated to cost £3.2m and £2.6m has already been raised to include the LUF.

The charity has launched their final fundraising campaign to raise the last £600,000 to enable them to fully realise their vision.

A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: "This money will go towards cementing a musical base into the very fabric of Nine Elms, a place that is fast becoming a destination for arts and cultural organisations.

"We look forward to continuing this fantastic work that World Heart Beat are already doing in the Nine Elms community to reach new audiences and bring music to our vibrant neighbourhood."

Construction is set to be completed in the spring and ready to launch in autumn 2022.

Got a story? Get in touch with Lexi Iles via [email protected] or call 07964789627

[I]Find all the latest news for your local area by following us on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram.