City Road Basin Masterplan

The City Road Basin Masterplan was adopted by the council executive on 20 May 2004. The masterplan sets out a framework for the redevelopment of City Road Basin. It also provides a basis for assessing the planning applications for the various sites.

In developing the masterplan, the council worked with Bennetts Associates Architects, and other key landholders around the basin, including City Road Basin Limited (a partnership between British Waterways and Miller Developments), and Fidelity Investments.

The key elements that have emerged include:

• a substantial, high density, mixed use development including commercial floorspace at ground level and residential accommodation above;
• improved public access to and around the Basin, including the creation of a primary entry point direct from City Road;
• two tall landmark buildings of 28 and 35 storeys at the southern, City Road end of the basin;
• redevelopment of the existing green space to link with the increased publicly accessible space that will be released by the development of the site;
• improved leisure facilities and opportunities;
• a landscape strategy for the entire basin to give an improved and consistent public realm including the redesigned green space and the newly created public space at the head of the basin;
• a sustainability strategy including benchmarks to ensure that any development achieves very high standards in terms of environmental performance;
• assessment of the potential environmental impacts of the proposed developments, and suggested mitigation measures;
• relocation of the Islington Boat Club to new purpose built premises on the opposite side of the Basin;
• a range of potential planning benefits including;
• enhanced and increased public realm and access
• affordable housing
• support for the Islington Boat Club
• possible new community facilities incorporated in the development site (health facility, nursery/creche)
• required transport initiatives and highways improvements
• improvements to pedestrian and cycle infrastructure, and public art;
• a strategy for securing the range of planning benefits.

City Road Basin is one of Islington's few remaining major unrealised assets. Without a masterplan there was a possibility that the values and potential of the site would be lost to the community through piecemeal development.

The masterplan is structured into 5 sections and appendices. For more information, click on the links at the bottom of this page.

NB. Some of the pdf files are quite large and will take some time to download.

What happens next?

A number of the key landowners have now submitted planning applications for the individual sites around the basin:

• 259 City Road (P0502729). An application was approved on 15 December 2006 for a building rising up to 28 storeys comprising 295 residential units and ground floor commercial floor space (this application was heard at South Area Committee in January 2006, but there was a delay in issuing the decision notice while the Section 106 legal agreement was signed).
  


• 261 City Road (P041872). An application was approved at committee in January 2005 for the erection of 36 storey building and two 8 storey buildings to provide 308 residential units and ground floor commercial uses (this application was heard at South Area Committee in January 2006, but there was a delay in issuing the decision notice while the Section 106 legal agreement was signed).
  


• Part of 261a City Road (Site on Graham Street) (P042953 and P022771). An application was approved in October 2004 for the demolition of existing single and two storey buildings and erection of seven storey plus basement building for commercial use at ground floor and residential use on upper floors (83 units). Work has now started on site.

Section 106 legal agreements will be secured for each development in order to pay for the environmental improvements outlined in the masterplan, such as the improvements to Graham Street Park and the provision of a new civic space at the head of the basin on City Road.

Provision of a new civic space

Along with money obtained from the developers under Section 106 Legal Agreements the Council has been sucessful in securing £2million to help provide the new Civic Space. This money has been provided by the Department of Communities and Local Government (the DCLG) to assist in the provision of new housing on the site.

If you would like further information, contact:

John Norman
Policy and Projects
PO Box 3333
222 Upper Street
London, N1 1YA
Email: john.norman@islington.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7527 2267 Or Lucy Shomali:
Tel: 020 7527 2381