Holloway community plan

Estate improvements: Shearling Way open space

• Funding: £7,000 from Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), £192,000 from Strategic Local CIL and £133,000 from Planning (S106).

After the works to provide a safe and accessible environment at the estate ball court and to secure the wall separating the estate and the Overground tracks, Holloway councillors are looking forward to redeveloping the open space together with the estate’s residents. Additional funding was allocated in June 2023 to repurpose the disused ball court into a community growing area and to replace the landscaping of the communal areas.

Estate improvements: Rowstock Gardens Tenants and Resident Association

• Funding: £80,000 from Local CIL

As a part of a wider programme of works at Rowstock Estate, this scheme will improve accessibility of the garden. The scheme aims to level the surfacing by replacing the paving and surfacing within the garden, as well as reorganise the planting beds to provide better access for wheelchair users and residents using mobility aids.

Estate improvements: Rowstock Gardens public art

• Funding: £15,000 from Planning (S106)

This project will work with local schools, colleges, and artists to install community led public art on walls in Rowstock Estate.

Estate improvements: Recycling facility improvements on Loraine Estate

• Funding: £10,185 from Planning (S106)

The project will provide new food waste recycling bin stores on Lorraine Estate.

Open space: Ward-wide tree planting and greening

• Funding: £2,201 from Local CIL and £47,798 from Planning (S106)

This scheme is to deliver additional greening and activation of the green spaces in the ward, including our parks and estate gardens. The scheme will be conducted in cooperation with the Friends of Biddestone and Caledonian Parks Groups as well as estate residents to support parks activities, improve Holloway’s leisure infrastructure and support estate gardeners. The greening pot of funding has already supported the Herbs for All scheme, delivered at Caledonian Park.

Sports and recreation: Caledonian Park play and sports provision

• Funding: £25,000 from Planning (S106)

Ward councillors will work with residents and officers to activate the basketball court in Caledonian Park. An engaging programme of activities that will inform the renewal of the ball court is currently being developed in partnership with a local artist and Access to Sports. Holloway Councillors are looking forward to scoping the changes to the popular paly space together with residents. An initial funding allocation covered a feasibility study and surveys necessary to develop designs for the renovation of the play space.

Sports and recreation: Caledonian Park ball court

• Funding: £60,000 from Strategic Local CIL

A further £60,000 was allocated for the refurbishment of Caledonian Park Ball Court in Caledonian Park. This matches funding secured from a Playzones application and seeks to create a high quality ball court.

Sports and recreation: Caledonian Park food growing

• Funding: £8,000 from Strategic Local CIL

Raised beds will be installed in Caledonian Park and monthly workshops with local residents will take place over 10 months to encourage food growing and social interaction.

Sports and recreation: Caledonian Park outdoor gym

• Funding: £45,000 from Strategic Local CIL

This project will install a new outdoor gym in Caledonian Park. The project aims to improve the health and wellbeing of the local community in terms of both physical health and social interaction.

Sports and recreation: Caledonian Park table tennis

• Funding: £5,570 from Planning (S106)

Two new table tennis tables will be installed in Caledonian Park.

Community facilities: Centre 404 capital developments

• Timeline: December 2020 to March 2022
• Cost: £4,660 from local community infrastructure levy (CIL) and £5,339 from Planning (S106) 

Centre 404 is currently refurbishing and extending their community centre to increase its capacity and improve accessibility. This work included a ground floor extension and a first-floor extension.

Community facilities: The Stress Project - mental health support for residents

• Cost: £10,000 from local community infrastructure fund (CIL)

Run by the Holloway Neighbourhood Group, the Stress Project provides a range of free and low cost therapies and wellbeing activities for people experiencing stress-related illnesses or mental health problems. The project is supported by Holloway, Finsbury Park and Highbury West ward CIL funds.

Estate improvements: Improved cycling storage on estates

• Timeline: December 2021 to March 2022
• Cost: £4.647 from CIL and £14,603 from Planning (S106)

This is an upgrade to and installation of new covered bike hangars at Holloway’s estates, including Stock Orchard Estate, Papworth Gardens, Radford House and Loraine Estate.

Estate improvements: Shearling Way Estate

• Timeline: February 2020 to September 2021
• Cost: £133,000 from Planning (S106)

The estate was identified as needing investment to improve amenities and to address anti-social behaviour within the surrounding open spaces. Improvements included works to the play areas, community gardens, lighting, seating, landscaping and re-allocation of space from other redundant uses such as excess parking.

Estate improvements: Williamson Street Community Centre refurbishments

• Timeline: January 2019 to August 2019
• Cost: £8,000 from local CIL

The scheme provided refurbishments including a new kitchen, toilets, windows and decorating.

Estate improvements: Rowstock Gardens/Camden Road Estate security

• Timeline: July 2020 to May 2022
• Cost: £30,000 from Planning (S106)

This project improves the look and security of the estate by installing panel fencing to provide security for gardens on the ground floor of 23 to 41 Rowstock Gardens.

Estate improvements: Rowstock Gardens

• Timeline: December 2018 to August 2019
• Cost: £19,800 from Planning (S106)

The scheme focused around surfacing and paving repairs, such as the installation of dropped curbs, to increase safety and accessibility on the estate.

Estate improvements: Loraine Estate

Timeline: November 2017 to August 2018
Cost: £65,000 from Planning (S106) (£65,000)

The project involved estate improvements that included de-clutter, removal of redundant signs, parking posts, bollards and fire gates, installation of new estate maps and wayfinding signs throughout the estate, completion of lighting upgrade work to low emission LED (more environmentally friendly) fittings, as well as painting of the cast iron estate railings.

Estate improvements: Pollard Close

• Timeline: November 2017 to June 2022
• Cost: £19,995 from local CIL and £305,004 from Planning (S106)

This scheme delivered complex works to improve community safety, including replacement of lighting, signage and better wayfinding, building anti-moped barriers and laying defendable paving. Councillors have been working closely with the estate's community and Islington’s Community Safety Team to respond to needs that have come up, and also funding additional park guard officers posts to increase patrolling of the areas neighbouring Biddestone Park.

Open space: Caledonian Park Clock Tower and Heritage Centre Projects

• Timelines: April 2013 to August 2021
• Cost: £998,064 from Planning (S106)

The project was to undertake urgent conservation repair of the Caledonian Park Clock Tower and Heritage Centre Project. It involved access improvement works to the listed Caledonian Clock Tower as well as construction of an adjacent resource building. The resource building hosts a cafe and toilet facilities for park users, a staff office, a volunteer room, and an education room. We also got New Lottery Fund financial support for restarting activities after the lockdown.

Open space: Biddestone Open Space lighting improvements

• Timeline: February 2020 to November 2021
• Cost: £40,603 from Planning (S106)

The project provided a new system of lighting along the pathway through Biddestone Open Space, to allow safe access to the passage through the park after dark. With an upcoming consultation regarding keeping the park open at night, the lamps play a huge role in ensuring safe access between Biddestone Road and Holloway Road.

Open space Biddestone Road Open Space

• Timeline: Project completed in March 2016
• Cost: £515,268 from Planning (S106)

The scheme involved a major overhaul and redesign of the entire Biddestone Road Open Space. It also reduced crime risk by improving access to and from Holloway Road through a small passageway.

School facilities: Goodinge Early Years Centre

• Timeline: March 2022 to August 2022
• Cost: £10,000 from Planning (S106)

This project introduced a canopy and sensory room at Goodinge Early Years Centre. The canopy has allowed children to play outside in all weather conditions, while the sensory room improved the opportunities for collaborative and interactive play, using several different senses. Councillors are currently planning a gardening day together with the centre.

School facilities: Bridge Trust School Sensory Rooms

• Timelines: July 2021 to January 2022
• Cost: £46,000 from Planning (S106)

The project introduced three new full sensory spaces and one new soft play space at the Trust’s Schools. The rooms now serve 250 children and young adults with learning difficulties and/or autism as a welcoming, safe and interactive environment for learning and play.

School facilities: The Bridge School

• Timeline: March 2019 to March 2020
• Cost: £40,000 from Planning (S106)

This project delivered a sensory garden at the school’s primary playground.

Health care: Young adults sexual health service

• Timeline: July 2016 to March 2019
• Cost: £67,000 from Planning (S106)

The funding has contributed towards the establishment of a new young adults sexual health service based at 263-289 Holloway Road. The project has also involved cooperation with the local university to offer more comprehensive support to vulnerable students and an in-house peer support scheme.

Play space: Renewal of Paradise Park water play feature

• Timeline: September 2021 to February 2022

The project replaced the water play feature first installed in the spring of 2003. Its expected lifespan is 8 to 10 years.

Play space: Centre 404 - garden play structure

• Timeline: November 2017 to March 2018
• Cost: £10,000 from Planning (S106)

This scheme involved the construction of a wheelchair-accessible interactive play and multi-sensory structure in the centre’s garden. The facility is accessible for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities as well as their families.

Transport and public realm: Zebra crossing on North Road

• Timeline: May 2019 to February 2020
• Cost: £12,064 from local CIL and £67,919 from Planning (S106)

This scheme introduced an additional zebra crossing on North Road, following a request from The Gower School. The road is used as a crossing for the elderly at the Drovers Centre and the children at Hungerford Primary and the Bridge Special School as well as The Gower School.

Sports and recreation: Caledonian Park – multi-use games area

• Timeline: November 2017 to March 2018
• Cost: £10,000 from Planning (S106)

This project involved providing step-free access to the multi-use games area in the park.