There's a double dose of good news for Archway this week, with Transport for London (TfL) pledging £250,000 to explore improving transport and public spaces in the area. <br><br>The good news about transport comes just as Islington Council has put local people firmly back in the driving seat for future development in Archway. The council's Executive tonight (Thursday 13 September) formally adopted robust new planning guidance for the area, drawn up following 18-months of public consultation. <br><br>During this consultation, the council and local community urged TfL to consider re-modelling the gyratory, which spoils Archway with noisy, heavy traffic, and pollution. So TfL's transport announcement this week is a welcome boost for Archway's future. <br><br>Cllr Terry Stacy, Islington Council's Executive Member for Regeneration: "It's good news all round for Archway this week. We've spent many, many months listening to what people want at Archway to get this planning guidance right, and now it's in place, we've put local people back in the driving seat rather than developers. <br><br>"Right now Archway is typical of everything that's wrong with post-war architecture and traffic design and I'm determined we don't repeat the mistakes of the past. Residents told us any future development has got to include both housing and shops, be on a human scale and prioritise pedestrians over car users -- so that's what the planning guidance says. Whatever scheme emerges in the future will compliment - not compete - with our other shopping centres."<br><br>He added: "And it's great to hear that because our consultation exercise gave residents a chance to air their views, TfL has now agreed to fund an investigation into improving the transport situation. Archway isn't just a transport interchange you have to negotiate to get home or to work. It can operate as a successful town centre but only if people want to visit and spend money on local goods and services. That means making it cleaner, safer and easier to move around on foot."<br><br>Islington Council's planning guidance sets out a vision for Archway that ensures it continues to operate as a thriving centre with a strong sense of identity. Key principles underpinning the planning guidance include a "no" to a large supermarket but a "thumbs up" for a range of new housing and local businesses and a better environment for independent traders in Junction Road and Holloway Road.<br><br>In addition, the guidance seeks to ensure that any community facility development must enhance the leisure centre and library, while new housing must include 50 per cent affordable housing, and be mixed with commercial space and retail units to make the area sustainable economically and socially, and support activity in the evenings and at weekends.<br><br>ENDS
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009