The London Development Agency (LDA) has announced that a new £10m project is set to transform a number of parklands along the Thames Gateway in east London in a bid to create a network of multi-purpose open spaces.

It follows the news that the London Borough of Lewisham has been awarded a £2m grant by the LDA as part of the Thames Gateway Parklands plan, which has received funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government's Parklands Fund. Five parklands will undergo extensive refurbishment work as part of the scheme, including Three Mills Green in the Lea River Park; Dagenham Washlands; Rainham Riverside; Erith Marshes; and Waterlink Way and Deptford Loop.

Plans for Waterlink Way and Deptford Loop, as agreed with the London Borough of Lewisham, includes upgraded cycle and footpaths from the Thames to Outer London, new wetlands and new backwaters. New cycle and footpaths also form part of plans for Dagenham Washlands, while Rainham Riverside will see an increased public access to the Thames waterfront and expanded marshland wildlife habitats.

Three Mills Green in the Lea River Park is set to feature a new park, which will include sports pitches, communal gardens, a community orchard and an outdoor cinema, while access to the Thames Path at Erith Marshes will be increased. London mayor Boris Johnson said: "The re-development of the Thames Gateway will only succeed if we create green and open spaces to enrich existing and new communities, attract investment and raise spirits."

LDA group director for design, development and environment, Peter Bishop, added: "The Thames Gateway Parklands are a vital investment in renewed parks and green spaces – a key part of of the Thames Gateway redevelopment. "Having got this additional £10m for London, the LDA is working with boroughs and others to revitalise these open spaces in some of the capital's more neglected areas."

The scheme forms part of the East London Green Grid, which has been developed by a number of stakeholders including the Mayor of London, Transport for London and the LDA in order to improve the riverside area and upgrade the countryside in London's urban fringe.