Residents invited to have their say on transformation of two Islington parks

Rebuilding a fairer Islington for everyone in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic is a key priority for the council, and tackling the climate emergency by spending on 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 for everyone.

Local people are being asked to give their views on exciting plans for Bingfield and Woodfall parks, two popular green spaces.

There are three design options for each of the parks for residents to choose from, all of which involve the installation of exciting new facilities and green features that the whole community can enjoy.

Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The pandemic has shown that Islington’s parks and green spaces are a vital lifeline for local people, especially those that do not have a private outdoor space of their own, offering opportunities for relaxation, leisure and sport.

“These exciting proposals for Bingfield and Woodfall parks reflect the council’s commitment to spending money in order to tackle the climate emergency and create a greener, healthier Islington for everyone.

“We know how important our parks are to local people, and look forward to hearing their views on the future of these much-loved green spaces.”

The three design options that the council has put together for Woodfall Park seek to make the space greener and more vibrant. Improved entrances to make the park more welcoming, new landscape features, better play and sport facilities, and a wider variety of plants feature in all three of the proposals for the park.

The proposals all involve raising the level of the sports court and removing the brick wall in front of it to improve views of the space. Local people can also give their views on the location of the children’s playground, and the building of a new outdoor gym.

At Bingfield Park, the design options involve the implementation of improved play and sport facilities, more biodiversity and natural features, as well as improved entrances and cycle routes.

Furthermore, the design options explore how the currently unused Crumbles Castle building can be integrated into the park or the land repurposed for other park activities.

Improvement work at the park is part of the We are Cally project, which is part-funded by the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund and seeks to improve facilities and create new opportunities in the area to unlock its potential for thousands of residents.

Visit the council’s website to have you say on the improvements to Bingfield and Woodfall parks. Consultation on Bingfield Park ends on Monday, 26 April, and Woodfall Park consultation ends on Monday, 12 April.

Work on improving the parks is expected to start in 2022. The council will update on plans for improvement works at some of the borough’s other parks in due course.