Mildmay Liveable Neighbourhood

We are creating a liveable neighbourhood in Mildmay

We are implementing the Mildmay Liveable Neighbourhood scheme from autumn 2024, with some changes to our plans based on feedback we received in our public consultation.

Islington Council is determined to create greener, healthier, and more welcoming streets, where people can come together and communities can thrive.

The council announced the Mildmay Liveable Neighbourhood project in February 2020 as Islington's first liveable neighbourhood project, including £1m of council capital funding to deliver the project.

We developed proposals for the project through engagement with residents and businesses between 2021 and 2023 to hear what local people wanted to see improved in the Mildmay area. In autumn 2023 we held a public consultation on our final draft proposals.

We have decided to implement Islington’s first liveable neighbourhood in Mildmay, with some changes to our plans following local people's feedback during the consultation. On this page you can see details of the changes we are making.

We will start constructing the scheme in autumn 2024 and expect the construction to last approximately 12-18 months. We expect to implement traffic filtering measures as a trial in 2025. We'll notify affected residents and businesses ahead of construction, and will work to keep any disruption to a minimum. We will keep local people updated as the scheme progresses. You can also check this page for updates.

The final measures we will be implementing are shown on the map:

Map of the Mildmay Liveable neighbourhood project final measures we will be implementing

Latest project updates

We will be starting construction of the first elements of the project from mid-November 2024.

We will be making improvements within the Mayville Estate from 14 November. This includes new greening on Arundel Grove, and accessibility improvements to the path through the estate between Matthias Road and Mildmay Road by Waller, Skelton, and Bronte Houses.

We will begin construction of the first elements of the Newington Green walking, wheeling and cycling improvements scheme, which will involve works on Mildmay Road by to the junction with Mildmay Park. To carry out these works we will need to temporarily close Mildmay Road to traffic in both directions at the junction with Mildmay Park, from 18 November for approximately five weeks. During this closure period, vehicle access will be maintained to all addresses, however some vehicle journeys will need to follow diversions during the works period.

We will also be creating a loading bay on Mildmay Grove North in the coming weeks.

You can view the design drawings for these schemes using the links in the “What are the final plans we will be implementing?” section on this page, or in the Key Documents menu.

We will be in further contact to notify residents and businesses with more details about the schemes we will be constructing from early 2025, including for the remaining works to build the Newington Green walking, wheeling and cycling improvements.

What are the final plans we will be implementing?

We have decided to implement the following plans to create a greener, healthier neighbourhood in Mildmay:

1. Transforming King Henry's Walk to create a welcoming space at the heart of the community and help local businesses to thrive, by:

• widening pavements between Mildmay Grove North and Mildmay Road
• installing new seating and greenery on pavements
• creating a new public space at the end of Queen Margaret's Grove
• improving crossings for people walking and wheeling
• introducing a new dedicated loading bay for businesses
• creating a greener connection between King Henry's Walk and St Jude Street Garden

2. Creating a child-friendly street outside Newington Green Primary School (NGPS), by:

• relocating the school's main entrance to Auriga Mews, in partnership with NGPS, and improvements to Auriga Mews to provide an attractive entrance with more space for people walking and wheeling
• making the pavements wider and greener with fun features for children, to create a pleasant space for people waiting at school pick-up time
• introducing a trial School Street zone on Mildmay Road, Wolsey Road and Auriga Mews around the new school entrance. No motor traffic will be permitted to enter during school drop-off and pick-up hours, except residents who live in the zone. We will monitor the trial School Street to help assess whether it should be made permanent.

Artist's impression of our planned improvements at the junction of Mildmay Road and Wolsey Road outside Newington Green Primary School

3. Creating a greener, child-friendly street on St Jude Street to make the street safe and inviting for people travelling to local schools and those visiting St Jude Street Garden which is being improved. We will be creating new greenery alongside the park, and the measures will also make it safer for people cycling on Cycleway 1.

4. Introducing new traffic filters as a trial at the locations shown on the map. The scheme aims to reduce air pollution and road danger by preventing through-traffic from cutting through the area. Traffic filters are points in the road that vehicles are not permitted to drive through, to make space for walking, cycling, and wheeling. In some cases these are enforced with physical restrictions like planters and bollards, and in others using cameras. There will usually be exemptions for local Blue Badge holders who live inside the project area, some council service vehicles, and the emergency services. We will monitor the trial traffic filters to assess whether they should be made permanent.

You can see more details of our traffic filtering plans.

5. Making improvements for walking, wheeling and cycling around Newington Green, including:

• safer crossings - raising up zebra crossings to pavement level and improving visibility
• a traffic-free cycleway along the south side of the Green as part of an important link between Cycleway 1 and Green Lanes
• A new designated loading bay to help businesses around the Green
• new green planting on pavements

You can view the final design drawings for the scheme:

• Newington Green walking, wheeling and cycling improvements between Mildmay Road and Ferntower Road
• Newington Green zebra crossing improvements to the west and north east of the Green

6. An improved public space where Ferntower Road meets Newington Green, including:

• creating more community space by extending the paved area further west into Ferntower Road
• re-spacing the planters, with additional seating, retaining the greenery
• amending the layout to enable safe cycle access along the south side of the space, in response to your consultation feedback on this proposal

You can view the final design drawing for this scheme.

7. Walking, wheeling and cycling improvements on Boleyn Road, including:

• improving Cycleway 1 by creating a traffic-free cycle lane with raised kerbs to protect people cycling from traffic, and an improved crossing between Boleyn Road and Wordsworth Road
• a new zebra crossing to make it easier and safer for people walking and wheeling to cross the road between housing areas to help enable safer journeys between Mildmay and Kingsland High Street

8. Improved and more accessible pavements and paths to help people walk and wheel in the Mayville Estate and around the area. Following your feedback, we have expanded our programme of works to cover more locations across the area. We have already completed repairs to pavements and dropped kerbs at a number of locations in the project area and will be continuing to carry out these improvements across the area. You can see a summary of our pavement accessibility improvements for more details.

Example improvement we have completed to make the pavement more even and accessible on Matthias Road

9. A new loading bay on Mildmay Grove North by the junction with Mildmay Park to improve loading for the grocery shop there

You can view the final design drawing for this scheme.

10. New greenery on Arundel Grove, opposite number 54 Arundel Grove near to King Henry Street, including a new bench for people to sit and rest.

You can view the final design drawing for this scheme.

Project background

The council announced the Mildmay Liveable Neighbourhood project in February 2020 as Islington's first liveable neighbourhood project, including £1m of council capital funding to deliver the project.

The project involves a number of changes to streets, aimed at improving air quality and making the area greener, safer and easier for people to walk, cycle and use buggies and wheelchairs.

The project is focused on the east area of the Mildmay ward, between Newington Green and Dalston. In the future, we expect a separate liveable neighbourhood project will focus on the area west of Newington Green and Green Lanes.

What you have told us through the project

Since the project was announced in February 2020, the council has been listening to feedback from residents in the Mildmay area.

In 2021 and 2022 we heard what local people had to say about issues in the area and what they would like the project to bring to the area, through public meetings, workshops and engagement with schoolchildren.

Between February and April 2023 we invited the community to share their views on draft proposals through a survey and public workshops. We also met with local businesses and schools, local older and disabled people and members of the Turkish-speaking community, and held activities with young people. You can see a summary of the engagement and responses.

In September and October 2023 we consulted publicly on a set of final draft proposals which were displayed both online and at Mildmay Library. Again, we received feedback through a survey, public workshops and talking to local businesses.

We have also received comments sent via email to the project team at: mildmay.liveableneighbourhood@islington.gov.uk.

Our consultation proposals reflected what local people told us they wanted to see improved in the Mildmay area:

• safer crossings on Newington Green and other main and borough-boundary roads in the area
• more accessible routes for mobility-impaired people, including in the Mayville Estate
• improved air quality, and less traffic on local streets
• greener streets with more trees and planting
• more places to stop, rest and socialise in local streets
• more child-friendly streets around schools in the area
• safer and more joined up cycle routes in the area, including improving Cycleway 1 and linking it to Green Lanes

Your feedback to our consultation in autumn 2023

Most people who responded to our consultation survey in September-October 2023 said they agreed that the Mildmay Liveable Neighbourhood would be positive for the area and people's health and wellbeing in response to a range of statements. Some examples of these statements and your responses are:

The most common comments we received in support of our consultation proposals were:

• overall support for the scheme
• support due to improved safety for people cycling
• support for walking and wheeling improvements

The most common comments we received expressing concerns about our consultation proposals were:

• Ferntower Road cycle access would negatively impact the existing public seating area
• traffic fIltering may increase congestion on nearby roads
• potential negative impact on people with limited mobility

You can see:

• the proposals we consulted on in autumn 2023
• a report showing the consultation results in detail
• responses to issues raised in the consultation

What changes are we making in response to your consultation feedback?

In response to your feedback we will be:

• amending the planned layout of the planting and seating area at Ferntower Road/Newington Green to: position the cycle path along the southern edge of the space rather than through the centre, using accessible materials and tactile crossings that are sympathetic to the existing space; and re-provide and improve the public seating and greenery with additional seats on the planters
• introducing a 'Copenhagen crossing' (continuous pavement across the road at the crossing point) at the junction of Mildmay Road and Newington Green to prioritise people walking and wheeling
• making the planned public space at the junction of King Henry's Walk and Queen Margaret's Grove larger, with new trees and planting
• extending the length of the planned loading bay on King Henry's Walk to make sure it supports businesses
• creating a larger public space area at the junction of Mildmay Road and Wolsey Road outside the planned new entrance to Newington Green Primary School, with features such as boulders that children can play on separated from the road by planting, and creating a nicer paved surface on Auriga Mews to provide an attractive school entrance with more space for people walking and wheeling
• providing space for ambulances to drive through the traffic filter on St Jude Street
• increasing the number of locations where we will improve pavements to make them more accessible.

In our consultation, we asked your views on proposals to improve the area outside Conrad House in the Mayville Estate for walking, wheeling and cycling, including new paved space and greenery, a cycle path and relocated bin stores. We have been talking to estate residents further to understand more about what they would like to see in this space, and will continue talking to residents to finalise the scheme.

How you can get in touch

If you have any questions about the project, or you need this information in another language, a reading format such as Braille, large print or Easy Read, or a printed paper copy of these webpages, you can:

• email: mildmay.liveableneighbourhood@islington.gov.uk
• write to: Environment, 1 Cottage Road, London, N7 8TP

Paper copies of the information on this page are also available to collect from:

• Mildmay Library, 21-23 Mildmay Park, N1 4NA
• Mildmay Community Centre, Woodville Road, N16 8NA
• Day-mer Community Centre, 16 Howard Rd, London N16 8PU (Turkish language version)

We will keep local people updated as the scheme progresses. You can also check this page for updates.