Prior Weston Primary School Play Area

Islington Council, led by your Bunhill ward councillors, Cllr Troy Gallagher, Cllr Phil Graham, and Cllr Valerie Bossman-Quarshie are looking to improve the Prior Weston Primary School’s Playground and transform it into an attractive, rich and imaginative play experience for children to explore, play and be inspired. The playground will be funded using Community Infrastructure Levy funding collected from developments nearby.

Introduction

Prior Weston Primary School is situated in a dense inner city location at the southern edge of Islington, adjoining the Barbican estate in the City of London. Whilst located next to a small park, outdoor space within the school is at a premium. A new building completed in 2007 on the school’s existing site brought together Prior Weston Primary School, Fortune Park SureStart Children’s Centre, and Richard Cloudesley School for children with learning disabilities. After 15 years of heavy use, the outdoor spaces are in need of investment. Both the games court and the adjoining play space have already been refurbished recently. A new successful funding bid now provides the opportunity to establish a strategic approach to the remaining spaces, considering outdoor play provision holistically.

The design of each individual space was developed in close consultation with the school proposing spaces, equipment, finishes, sitting and quiet areas to meet the requirements of the children and the staff monitoring the spaces and using the spaces as outdoor teaching environment.

The proposals prioritise addressing staff and children’s needs incorporating Special Educational Needs (SEN) requirements with a variety of equipment and spaces including quiet spaces. This was achieved through extensive consultation with the school and in response to the Occupational Therapist Report, ensuring alignment with inclusivity goals.

Due to a previous planning application, submitted by the school for lighting to the multi-activity play and games areas, the school have advised that there are existing residents’ concerns that we would need to take a meticulous approach to, when establishing the proposals. These include:

• Noise
• Overlooking
• Colour and material palette
• Urban environment (enclosed play area with residents’ balconies and windows to adjacent perimeters)

Have your say

Please take a few moments to view the proposed design and then complete our survey to tell us what you think. Feedback must be submitted by Friday 15 March 2024.

Would you like to meet the project team?

Come along to meet Calfordseaden (Consultants) and discuss the proposed design. This will provide the opportunity to view the finalised design and make comments to either support or object to the proposal.

Date: Thursday 7 March 2024

Time: 3.30 - 5.30pm

Location: 101 Whitecross St, London EC1Y 8JA

If you are unable to make it, you can also contact Tevin Onuoha, Project Manager (nnamdi.onuoha@islington.gov.uk or 07813 639 722) and he will be in touch to set up a convenient time for a telephone conversation.