Policy information sourced from the Bunhill and Clerkenwell area action plan

BC3: City Fringe Opportunity Area

This part of Old Street and City Road is Islington’s part of the City Fringe Opportunity Area, a designated area with a specific focus for the tech sector and related businesses which extends into the London Boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets. The Council will support the development of this tech sector cluster.

The Moorfields Eye Hospital site represents a unique opportunity to create a new high quality business quarter. The site will play a key role in the consolidation and expansion of the business cluster in the wider Old Street area and will deliver a very significant quantum of additional business floorspace over the plan period, and a substantial amount of affordable workspace. In addition, necessary social infrastructure, and active uses on the ground floor will be delivered.

Proposals must maximise business floorspace provision, specifically office floorspace, as far as possible in line with the Council’s priority for the City Fringe Opportunity Area and other policies in the AAP, particularly Policy BC1.

The City Fringe Opportunity Area is suitable for a range of typologies from small stand-alone offices and workspaces to large floorplate Grade A offices. Where demand for a certain typology becomes evident during the plan period, the Council may look to prioritise such typologies on a case-by-case basis where appropriate and supported by evidence.

Old Street Local Shopping Area is located within the area. Retail and leisure uses should be focused here, although retail, leisure and cultural uses may also be appropriate at ground floor level and any lower ground floors as part of new development in other parts of the area, particularly where a site is within or adjacent to existing frontages of similar uses.

The environmental quality of Old Street roundabout will be transformed through removal of the gyratory and creation of a high quality, functional new public space, accessible at-grade from the surrounding streets; and other public realm improvements, including a new at-grade entrance to the station, works to reduce traffic impacts, and improvements to the interchange between bus, train and tube. The Council will also explore ways to improve the busy Old Street and Clerkenwell Road for pedestrians and cyclists. Existing retail provision within Old Street Station should be enhanced as part of the roundabout improvement works.

Any development in the centre of the roundabout would reduce the quantum and functionality of potential new open space as part of the new public realm, and will therefore be resisted as part of any redevelopment proposals (except for very small scale commercial development such as retail/leisure kiosks, where appropriate).

New buildings surrounding and fronting Old Street Roundabout must explore opportunities to provide direct basement access to and from the underground station (subject to agreement with London Underground Ltd).

Development proposals should enhance permeability across the area and with adjacent areas; and ensure ease of access via walking and cycling.

The Council supports the enhancement of the public open space at Finsbury Square. Small scale commercial uses may be suitable on existing built-on areas of the square, but only where the functionality of the space is not adversely affected. Reconfiguration of the existing open space may be acceptable where functionality of the open space is improved and there is no net loss of public open space. Change to the use of the underground car park is supported in principle where it would be replaced by commercial uses, particularly business floorspace.

Development proposals must contribute positively to the character of the area and demonstrate a scale and massing that responds to adjacent public spaces and street widths. Street level views of recognised and historic landmarks in the area should be enhanced as part of proposals.

Four sites in the Spatial Strategy area have been identified as potentially suitable for tall buildings over 30 metres.

Development proposals must preserve or enhance heritage assets, including those in neighbouring boroughs where impacted. This includes (but is not limited to) Bunhill Fields, Wesley’s Chapel, the Honourable Artillery Company grounds and the area’s three protected local landmarks identified in policy DH2 of the Local Plan.

For more information please see the Bunhill and Clerkenwell area action plan