Consultation launched on plans to make Barnard Park greener and healthier

The council is determined to create a fairer Islington for everyone and tackle the climate emergency – and investment in green projects is at the heart of this. That is why the council is committing £6.9million over the next two years to improve the borough’s parks.  

The planned improvements will deliver on these ambitions, and make Barnard Park a green, healthy and attractive place for people and wildlife.

The proposals seek to make the area a more pleasant space for relaxation, leisure and sport, whilst also resulting in a biodiversity net gain of 52% through significant ecological enhancements, such as an increase of 38 trees.  

Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have only emphasised the value of Islington’s parks and green spaces as places for residents to enjoy – for relaxation, leisure and exercise.

“As we build a fairer Islington for everyone in the wake of the pandemic, it’s vitally important that all of our parks and green spaces work well for local people.

“The proposed changes to Barnard Park, one of our most popular green spaces, will help transform the area, making it an oasis with new landscaping features, better play and sports facilities, and more biodiversity.

“Local people are at the heart of everything we do, and we look forward to hearing their views on these exciting plans.”

The future of Barnard Park has been subject to previous consultations with Sport England and other key stakeholders, which led to the development of the Barnard Park masterplan.

This involves the creation of a new Community Hub building, which will act as a space for local people to enjoy. The Hub will feature a biodiverse green roof and an air source heat pump to heat the building and reduce its carbon footprint.

In addition, the masterplan includes the creation of a new large level grass area for leisure and exercise, as well as a new 3G sports pitch. These improvements will ensure the park is a space for local people to enjoy the physical and mental benefits of exercise, in line with the Parks for Health programme.

To make the park even greener and healthier for everyone, the council has made several proposed changes to the masterplan. These include:

• New biodiversity and ecological enhancements, including a traditional orchard area, native hedgerows and wildflower meadow areas
• Improved pathways and circulation, to make it easier to walk around the park and to create larger open areas of green space
• Improved entrances and accessibility, including the creation of a new entrance at Sheen Grove and the transformation of the narrow Copenhagen Street entrance into a planted wildlife area

Local people know their parks better than anyone, and the council is keen to hear their feedback on the changes to the masterplan. A public consultation has therefore been launched on the proposed changes, which will remain open until Monday, 26 July.   

Implementation of the masterplan, which will cost approximately £2 million, is expected to start in Spring 2022, subject to planning consent.

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