Local people help shape Islington’s first liveable neighbourhood in Mildmay

In recent years, the council has taken huge strides to create a greener, healthier borough with more welcoming streets – and that’s why Islington has been recognised for four successive years as inner-London's top-borough for healthy streets.   

Liveable neighbourhoods are designed to build on this success, and support a more equal borough. The council’s vision is for local people to shape the look of each liveable neighbourhood, and for the schemes to transform local areas into more inviting and inclusive spaces where children can play, where people can enjoy biodiverse spaces, and where it’s easier for all to walk, wheel and cycle. 

The Mildmay scheme was first announced in 2020 with the allocation of £1 million in funding. Following that, the council has spent two years working with local people, businesses, and community groups to understand the changes they’d like to see as part of the liveable neighbourhood, to maximise the area’s potential. 

Based on this feedback, the council ran a public consultation on a series of proposals in September 2023. More than 500 people gave their views, with 47% of respondents strongly agreeing that the proposals would support their physical health and wellbeing (22% strongly disagreed), 51% strongly agreeing they’d make it safer to walk, cycle and wheel (23% strongly disagreed), and 52% strongly agreeing they’d make it easier for children to travel to school and play outdoors (18% strongly disagreed). 

Now, the council can announce that it is moving forward with a series of transformative improvements to Mildmay, which will be introduced over the course of around 18 months. They include:   

• Transforming King Henry’s Walk with wider pavements, seating and greenery –  with a new community space at the end of Queen Margaret's Grove and a greener connection to St Jude Street Garden. 
• More accessible pavements and paths in the Mayville Estate and other locations across the area. 
• Safer, more child-friendly spaces on St Jude Street and outside Newington Green Primary School, including School Streets on Mildmay Road and Auriga Mews. 
• Safer walking, wheeling and cycling connections including on Newington Green and Boleyn Road. 
• Traffic filtering to create quieter, healthier streets. Traffic filters are points in the road that vehicles are not able to drive through, except for those with exemptions. This creates more space for walking, cycling, and wheeling, but means all streets remain accessible by motor vehicle. 
• Expanding the public space on Ferntower Road beside Newington Green to the west, with improved seating and greenery. This also includes a cycling connection to Newington Green, which has been amended in response to consultation feedback. 
• New trees and planting across the area. 
• Improving the space outside Conrad House. 
• We've listened carefully to Mayville Estate residents for input on developing our plans and will continue talking to residents to finalise the scheme.  

Local people will be kept updated on the timetable for these works, with certain projects such as the walking and cycling improvements in Newington Green and Mayville Estate expected to be rolled out from autumn 2024, and traffic filters and new School Streets expected next year. 

Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality, and Transport, said: “We believe that Islington’s streets aren’t just routes to A to B – they're community spaces that all should be able to enjoy using, and play a vital role in creating a greener, healthier borough.   

“That’s why we’ve worked directly with local people, businesses, and groups over more than two years to understand how we can work together to unlock Mildmay’s huge potential, and their feedback has shaped our plans for the area.   

“We’re really excited to see the huge benefits that the borough’s first liveable neighbourhood brings in creating more welcoming spaces, supporting local people’s health and wellbeing, and bring people together.”