London mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled plans for the major refurbishment of some of the capital's public spaces in a bid to make London a more attractive place to live, work and visit.

The Great Spaces initiative will target spaces that currently offer poor access or that are unwelcoming and unattractive, including lesser known streets, squares, parks and riverside walks. London boroughs can submit projects at any stage of the development process for consideration to a design panel, led by the deputy mayor for planning and policy, Simon Milton.

Successful schemes will then be able to benefit from specialist advise from the London Development Agency, as well as receiving the mayor's 'Great Space' accreditation and a share of £200,000 that has been earmarked for feasibility and design work. Johnson said: "We need to take a closer look at some of the hidden treasures as well as the well-known spaces that abound – spaces that are currently difficult to use and unwelcoming – and turn them into something great.

"London is still a top destination for tourists and for businesses setting up shop here, and I want to improve on our already unrivalled offer. This scheme is about building on what is already good and encouraging new ideas to create even more great spaces across the city." Architect and masterplanner, Sir Terry Farrell, added: "For too many years the focus of creating new urban spaces has been towards inner London. The vital role played by our town centres and communities in the suburbs has been overlooked and I would actively encourage local authorities in the suburbs to participate in the mayor's initiative."