Transforming Elia Mews and Widford House Open Spaces

The Neighbourhood Project Team has been working closely with St Peter's and Canalside ward Councillors and with Breeze Landscape Architects to improve the Elia Mews estate. This includes the transformation of the children play area, a new Multi-Use Sports Court, and a community garden. Our goal is to create a more cohesive, welcoming, and attractive public space for all residents.

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback during our engagement campaign started in March 2024, which included two in-person drop in events, a posted survey questionnaire, digital engagement tools and site visits with members of the gardening team to discuss the community garden.

We now have a design for this space, based on your responses to our survey and engagement last year, which we have included in the survey sent to your home.

A new survey is open to view the proposed design.

Have your say on the following areas:

Elia Mews Planters	Community Garden
Multi-use Sports Court	Children's Playground

Feedback on the survey

The Community Garden

Residents raised concerns about drug dealing and anti-social behaviour in the garden area. In response, we’ve redesigned the space to be more open and visible from across the estate, improving sight lines and reducing the vegetation so the area is more manageable for those interested in gardening. There will be a separate fenced growing area with raised beds for residents to grow vegetables and plants, tool store, compost bins, and watering point. The newly installed notice board will be signposted to provide information on upcoming gardening workshops and events.

The Multi-Use Sports Court

Following feedback from the survey, the Multi-Use Sports Court will have new resurfacing, new line marking for football and basketball and the existing ball-court fencing will be upgraded. The Multi-Use Sports Court has been redesigned and slightly relocated to open up the back wall of the garden. This change allows for the installation of railings, improving visibility into the garden and across the estate’s green space.

The Children’s Play Area

Following feedback from the survey, the play area will be upgraded with modern equipment suitable for a wider age range, with new basket swing and slide. A new pathway has been developed to allowing residents to move more freely between different areas.

Next Steps

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. We are pleased to inform you that we now have a design for this space, based on your responses to our survey and engagement last year. We have sent a survey to your home for hear your thoughts on the concept design..

Please take a few moments to view the proposed design and make your voice heard by filling in the survey. We have sent you a prepaid envelope so you can let me know your views, before 28 July 2025

We are also holding a series of talking to you on your doorstep events on the following dates:

• Thursday 10 July between 2pm – 3.30pm,
• Tuesday 15 July between 10am – 11.30am
• Wednesday 23 July 4pm – 5.30pm.

We are also holding a community garden event on Thursday 17 July between 4.00pm – 6.30pm in the community garden. This will be a chance to speak to the project team on the design. It will also be a chance to learn more about gardening with tips and advice and a session on what best to plant in the growing season.

The project will be funded using Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding, allocated by St Peter's and Canalside ward Councillors. The cost of the improvements will not be recharged to residents.