Wilmington Square Restoration Project

Islington Council and Clerkenwell Ward Councillors is committed to building a greener, healthier borough and improving our parks and greenspaces.

The aim of this project is to deliver improvements to Wilmington Square, in partnership with residents and local stakeholders, to enhance the area’s existing character, promote a safer environment for children and families, and maximise the use of the public realm. We know that this is an area which the community cares about and has ideas about, and we want to build on that interest. We’d like to hear your views on the square; how you use it now, how you'd like to use it in the future, and how you feel it could be improved.

The project will be fully-funded via Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding. The cost of the improvements will not be recharged to residents.

Following our first engagement event and the feedback received, we have developed updated proposals and would like to hear your views.

Proposed Improvements

The proposals include:

• Restoration and repair of the historic Grade II listed railings.

• Improvements to the pavilion, including enhanced accessibility and seating.

• A new entrance to improve access and connectivity within the square.

The Masterplan Vision

The masterplan sets out a wider long-term vision for Wilmington Square and identifies future opportunities for enhancement, including:

• New planting and biodiversity improvements to support wildlife and enhance the appearance of the square.

• Creating welcoming spaces for relaxation, recreation and community use.

• Heritage interpretation features, including a lectern-style information board telling the story of Wilmington Square and the former wartime bunker.

• Marking the footprint of the former bunker on the ground using a low steel knee rail, allowing visitors to better understand its location and scale within the square.

Engagement Event

We will be holding a follow-up engagement event to provide an opportunity to view the updated proposals and speak with members of the Islington project team.

Date: Saturday 14 November 2026
Time: 11am to 2pm
Location: Wilmington Square

Have Your Say

We have developed a survey to gather feedback on the key elements of the proposals.

Please view the updated design boards before completing the survey. These can be found in the Documents, Engagement Materials and Proposals section of this webpage, or by clicking here.

The survey will be open from Saturday 14 November to Monday 7 December 2026.

Alternatively, from Saturday 14 November, you can pick up a paper copy of the survey from Finsbury Library, 245 St John Street, EC1V 4NB. Completed surveys should be returned to the library by 7 December 2026.

If you would like assistance completing the survey, members of the project team will be available to help at the engagement event.

If you have any questions or would like to provide further thoughts/feedback on the project then you can also use the 'Questions and feedback' about Wilmington Square section, alternatively you can email wilmingtonsquare@islington.gov.uk

The London Borough of Islington will use the data you provide for the sole purpose of keeping you informed about the Wilmington Square restoration project, we will hold your data for the duration of the project. You may opt out of communications at any time. We may share your information with Islington colleagues.

For further information on how the Council handles personal data please refer to our online Privacy Notice