Historic Milner Square is the latest street in Islington to get a makeover with re-used materials, to keep the area's heritage alive. <br><br>Following requests from residents, pavements have been re-laid, roads resurfaced, new shrubs planted and railings given a fresh lick of paint as part of the council's £20million rolling programme for 150 streets. <br><br>Children from nearby Thornhill School dressed in period costume, joined residents to find out more about the history of the square and celebrate its rejuvenation. <br><br>Cllr James Kempton, Leader of Islington Council, said: "We've been listening to what our residents want, and they've told us that the look of our streets is a top priority – so we're going that extra mile to keep them in great shape. <br><br>"People are concerned about broken paving slabs and pot holes, so we're in the middle of a massive programme to fix them. <br><br>"But we're sorting out the whole look of our streets, including railings, plants, streetsigns and drainage, to make sure Islington looks and feels like a fantastic place.<br><br>"We've won awards for how quickly we repair pot holes, but actually people want their streets resurfaced rather than yet more patch repairs. That's why we have begun a multi-million pound programme to fix them properly."<br><br>More than 80 per cent of highways material used in Islington is recycled – and an army of 165 street sweeping staff keep the roads clean and remove around 200 tonnes of waste every month.<br><br>Milner Square was completed in the 1840s and restored in the 1970s.<br><br>Islington is investing £20million in a programme to renew 150 streets and is tidying up street signs, dealing with drainage and other issues raised by residents. <br><br>The renewal of Milner Square is an example of how the council has blended heritage materials with sustainable design to ensure it can be enjoyed by residents in the years to come. <br><br>Other streets soon to be spruced up include Playford Road, N4, Wray Crescent, N4, Pine Grove, N4, Stonenest Street, N4, and Durham Road, N7. <br><br>ENDS <br><br>For more information please call Chris Weeks on 020 7527 3032 <br>
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009