Designing buildings, parks and streets  that work better for everyone

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We’re updating planning guidance for Islington's buildings, parks and streets so they work better for everyone. Council designers and private developers use this guidance to make sure no one is left out from Islington's places — whatever their age, background, disability, gender, caring role or identity.

We want to work closely with residents, people who work in the borough, community organisations, as well as design professionals when updating the guidance.

To follow how the guidance develops, sign up for email updates in the Stay Informed section of this page.

What is the aim of this engagement?

We’d love to hear about your experiences to help us understand:  

- What already works well in your area  - buildings, parks and streets.

- What needs to change to make places feel safer and easier to use.

- What makes somewhere welcoming — or difficult to visit.

This will help us develop new guidance for buildings that are more accessible, and parks and streets that are safer, sustainable, and easier for everyone to use. It will also help us plan the next stages of engagement.

Join our free events to help us shape a more accessible, safer and welcoming borough

Join us at one of our accessible drop-in events at community venues.

  • Tuesday 23 June, 5-8pm, at Vibast Centre, 167 Old St, EC1V 9NH. On offer is also a free community meal served at 7pm by FoodCycle! No sign-up needed.
  • Wednesday 24 June, 4-7pm, a drop-in for young people at Lift Youth Centre, 45 White Lion St, N1 9PW. On offer is also the Lift's free Youth Session open to all young people. No sign-up needed.
  • Tuesday 30 June, 11:30am–1pm and 6–7:30pm, at Sobell Centre, Tollington Rd, N7 7NY. No sign-up needed to join the drop-in discussion. Bookable inclusive play and sports taster sessions are also running, including SEND sessions for children and young people, and a get-together for ages 60+. For these, sign up via Eventbrite.
  • Thursday 2 July, 4-7pm, a bookable one to one quiet session at Central Library, 2 Fieldway Crescent, N5 1PF. Please sign up via Eventbrite to join.
  • Saturday 4 July, 12:30-3:30pm, at Whittington Park Big Day Out, Yerbury Rd, Archway, N19 4RS. Join us on the Big Day Out for a free day of family fun, music and hopefully sun! No sign-up needed.

The team working on this project will be there to hear about your experiences, discuss next steps, and answer questions.

All venues provide step-free access, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. British Sign Language interpreter will be present at all events.

More detailed information about accessibility of the venues and how to get there can be found in the Venue Accessibility file in the Documents section of this page. Taxis can be booked for participants on accessibility grounds - if you'd like to arrange this, please email inclusivedesign@islington.gov.uk.

Other ways to have your say

Share your views via our online survey below. The survey will be open until 11.59pm on 10 July 2026.

Write to us by post free of charge, addressing the letter to Freepost RTXU-ETKU-KECB, Planning Policy, Islington Council 2nd Floor, Town Hall, Upper Street, London, N1 2UD.

Register to a slot to our online drop-in session on 2 July 2026 via Eventbrite. BSL interpretation will be provided.

How has this project come about?

The current Islington planning guidance needs to be updated to match the ambition of London-wide and local planning policy, and because it does not cover things people use every day now — like e‑bikes, charging points, or inclusive play spaces.

You can find out more about planning policy and processes in the Full Planning Scoping Paper file in the Documents section of this page.

Updating the guidance

We are not starting from a completely blank page. Our guidance must align with existing legal requirements, and be consistent with London-wide policy. We still have a lot of scope to develop clear and ambitious planning guidance for a more accessible, safe and welcoming borough.

Based on previous resident engagement and an analysis of existing guidance, we know the following key parts of the guidance need updating:

  • supporting accessible design of new and refurbished homes - from accessible play spaces, to safe mobility scooter charging, to safe evacuation for all, to detailed designs of supported homes and student accommodation;
  • ensuring that local businesses are accessible for customers and staff;
  • supporting local community spaces and green spaces which champion accessibility and inclusion across the borough;
  • guiding sensitively designed accessibility improvements in heritage buildings and spaces;
  • guiding contextual and accessible designs of streetworks and transport projects, including walking and wheeling infrastructure and access to electric vehicle charging for all;
  • promoting sustainable highways greening;
  • ensuring that parks and green spaces welcome and support wellbeing for all;
  • sharing case studies on more Child-friendly, age-friendly, Dementia- and neurodiversity-friendly and safe for Women, Girls and LGBTQIA+ residents designs.

You can find out more about the changes proposed in the Full Planning Scoping Paper file in the Documents section of this page.

Next steps

To follow how the guidance shapes up, sign up for email updates in the Stay Informed section of this page.

Feedback from the June and July events will help us better plan the guidance content and the next stages of engagement summarised in the Proposed Engagement Plan in the Documents section of this page.

We propose that a series of detailed workshops for specific groups as well as public drop-ins are held in autumn 2026 to inform development of the guidance document.

To make sure everyone can enjoy places around them, we will invite young people, older residents, disabled people, parents and carers, people of all genders, people of all cultural backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ residents to hands-on events and workshops. We will be reaching out further for collaboration with local community organisations and design professionals on this, too.

Following the autumn workshops, we will draft the new guidance and carry out consultation on a full draft of the document.

After considering responses to that consultation, we anticipate the new guidance will be adopted in spring 2027.

We look forward to working with you over the coming months!

If you have any questions about this project to Islington's Inclusive Design Officer please email inclusivedesign@islington.gov.uk.



We’re updating planning guidance for Islington's buildings, parks and streets so they work better for everyone. Council designers and private developers use this guidance to make sure no one is left out from Islington's places — whatever their age, background, disability, gender, caring role or identity.

We want to work closely with residents, people who work in the borough, community organisations, as well as design professionals when updating the guidance.

To follow how the guidance develops, sign up for email updates in the Stay Informed section of this page.

What is the aim of this engagement?

We’d love to hear about your experiences to help us understand:  

- What already works well in your area  - buildings, parks and streets.

- What needs to change to make places feel safer and easier to use.

- What makes somewhere welcoming — or difficult to visit.

This will help us develop new guidance for buildings that are more accessible, and parks and streets that are safer, sustainable, and easier for everyone to use. It will also help us plan the next stages of engagement.

Join our free events to help us shape a more accessible, safer and welcoming borough

Join us at one of our accessible drop-in events at community venues.

  • Tuesday 23 June, 5-8pm, at Vibast Centre, 167 Old St, EC1V 9NH. On offer is also a free community meal served at 7pm by FoodCycle! No sign-up needed.
  • Wednesday 24 June, 4-7pm, a drop-in for young people at Lift Youth Centre, 45 White Lion St, N1 9PW. On offer is also the Lift's free Youth Session open to all young people. No sign-up needed.
  • Tuesday 30 June, 11:30am–1pm and 6–7:30pm, at Sobell Centre, Tollington Rd, N7 7NY. No sign-up needed to join the drop-in discussion. Bookable inclusive play and sports taster sessions are also running, including SEND sessions for children and young people, and a get-together for ages 60+. For these, sign up via Eventbrite.
  • Thursday 2 July, 4-7pm, a bookable one to one quiet session at Central Library, 2 Fieldway Crescent, N5 1PF. Please sign up via Eventbrite to join.
  • Saturday 4 July, 12:30-3:30pm, at Whittington Park Big Day Out, Yerbury Rd, Archway, N19 4RS. Join us on the Big Day Out for a free day of family fun, music and hopefully sun! No sign-up needed.

The team working on this project will be there to hear about your experiences, discuss next steps, and answer questions.

All venues provide step-free access, accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. British Sign Language interpreter will be present at all events.

More detailed information about accessibility of the venues and how to get there can be found in the Venue Accessibility file in the Documents section of this page. Taxis can be booked for participants on accessibility grounds - if you'd like to arrange this, please email inclusivedesign@islington.gov.uk.

Other ways to have your say

Share your views via our online survey below. The survey will be open until 11.59pm on 10 July 2026.

Write to us by post free of charge, addressing the letter to Freepost RTXU-ETKU-KECB, Planning Policy, Islington Council 2nd Floor, Town Hall, Upper Street, London, N1 2UD.

Register to a slot to our online drop-in session on 2 July 2026 via Eventbrite. BSL interpretation will be provided.

How has this project come about?

The current Islington planning guidance needs to be updated to match the ambition of London-wide and local planning policy, and because it does not cover things people use every day now — like e‑bikes, charging points, or inclusive play spaces.

You can find out more about planning policy and processes in the Full Planning Scoping Paper file in the Documents section of this page.

Updating the guidance

We are not starting from a completely blank page. Our guidance must align with existing legal requirements, and be consistent with London-wide policy. We still have a lot of scope to develop clear and ambitious planning guidance for a more accessible, safe and welcoming borough.

Based on previous resident engagement and an analysis of existing guidance, we know the following key parts of the guidance need updating:

  • supporting accessible design of new and refurbished homes - from accessible play spaces, to safe mobility scooter charging, to safe evacuation for all, to detailed designs of supported homes and student accommodation;
  • ensuring that local businesses are accessible for customers and staff;
  • supporting local community spaces and green spaces which champion accessibility and inclusion across the borough;
  • guiding sensitively designed accessibility improvements in heritage buildings and spaces;
  • guiding contextual and accessible designs of streetworks and transport projects, including walking and wheeling infrastructure and access to electric vehicle charging for all;
  • promoting sustainable highways greening;
  • ensuring that parks and green spaces welcome and support wellbeing for all;
  • sharing case studies on more Child-friendly, age-friendly, Dementia- and neurodiversity-friendly and safe for Women, Girls and LGBTQIA+ residents designs.

You can find out more about the changes proposed in the Full Planning Scoping Paper file in the Documents section of this page.

Next steps

To follow how the guidance shapes up, sign up for email updates in the Stay Informed section of this page.

Feedback from the June and July events will help us better plan the guidance content and the next stages of engagement summarised in the Proposed Engagement Plan in the Documents section of this page.

We propose that a series of detailed workshops for specific groups as well as public drop-ins are held in autumn 2026 to inform development of the guidance document.

To make sure everyone can enjoy places around them, we will invite young people, older residents, disabled people, parents and carers, people of all genders, people of all cultural backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ residents to hands-on events and workshops. We will be reaching out further for collaboration with local community organisations and design professionals on this, too.

Following the autumn workshops, we will draft the new guidance and carry out consultation on a full draft of the document.

After considering responses to that consultation, we anticipate the new guidance will be adopted in spring 2027.

We look forward to working with you over the coming months!

If you have any questions about this project to Islington's Inclusive Design Officer please email inclusivedesign@islington.gov.uk.



  • Accessible, safe and welcoming buildings, parks and streets

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Page last updated: 12 Jun 2026, 02:36 PM